Hello, 2018

Wearing: Forever 21 Beret | Missguided Coat | GAP Turtleneck | ZARA Pants | ZARA Boots | Steve Madden Belt Bag | Quay x Kylie Sunglasses

Happy New Year lovelies! I have never been so anxious for a year to end so a new one can begin!  Overall, 2017 was not a great year but there were great moments. 2017 came with ups and downs but also realizations, lessons and strength.

(Before the company that I worked for closed), I advanced in my role and gained valuable experience that will prepare me for the next job I land in my career.  I started my natural hair journey and learned to embrace my curls.  I gave my blog a makeover because it needed one and I wanted to set up my brand for success.  I connected with new bloggers – both domestic and international!  It’s great to have another blogger to talk to and even vent to about blogging or social media because they understand exactly what you’re going through!  The additional support and advice helped me a lot last year.

I’m not the greatest at setting or sticking to my New Year’s resolutions but I love setting goals and working towards something.  I know exactly what I want to achieve this year, both personally and as a blogger.  I also know there are aspects in my life that I need to improve on to help me continue to grow as a person.  Here are my five goals for 2018:

Listen to my intuition:  Although I hate to admit it, my gut feeling is never ever wrong and I’m done learning that after the fact.  Do you ever get invited to go out and while you’re getting ready you think to yourself “Why am I going out tonight?  This party is probably gonna be so packed and I should just stay in bed watching Netflix.”  But you go anyway and the drinks are watered down and the venue is too small for the large crowd.  That could have been avoided if you would of listened to your gut and just stayed home.  Well, I’m tired of ignoring my instinct and second guessing myself.  This year, I will be more in tune with myself and trust the funny tingle in my side.

Get out of my own way:  Overthinking, doubting, procrastinating, scrutinizing my work and allowing my thoughts to consume me – I am guilty of doing all of these very often.  I am working on getting out of my own head so I can quit making excuses.  If I fail, I fail, I learn from it and I try something else.  But what if I succeed?  I honestly think success scares me more than failure sometimes because I truly don’t know what I am capable of.  You don’t know what you are capable of until you put yourself in a position to do something you have never done before.  This year, I will stop limiting myself and push myself out of my comfort zone.

Travel:  Six years ago, I studied abroad for a semester in London and to this day, it is still, by far, the best decision I have ever made.  After that semester, I told myself I would continue to travel and I was consistent with it for the next two years.  Then life happened – student loan payments appeared, adult responsibilities occurred (paying rent in NYC is like selling your soul) and plane tickets flew off my radar.  I suck at saving and I love shopping but I also love the happiness and thrill I used to get from traveling.  Clothes will never give you the same experience as venturing in a new country will.  I have a long list of places I want to visit and I need to start crossing them off!  I’m not promising myself any huge trips this, but I would love to start doing some weekend or 4-day trips.  This year, I will spend less money on clothes and more money on travel!

Stop comparing myself to others:  The blogging world is over-saturated and very competitive.  With that being said, it’s easy to get discouraged because you see someone’s account growing quicker than yours or someone is collaborating with a brand you love.  Nothing good has ever come from me comparing myself to someone else.  When I’ve caught myself comparing myself to someone else, I’ve questioned my work and lost my focus.   Comparisons don’t add any value or fulfillment to our lives.  They only distract us.  Comparing yourself to someone else is not fair when we are all unique.  No one is me and that is my power.  I am special in my own way and I have something different to bring to the table.  Like I said, the blogging world is very competitive and if I want to succeed, I will need to work twice as hard and I know my time will come.  This year, I will invest more energy and time in my work, be patient and trust the process.

Maintain wellness:  In 2017, I was definitely on an emotional roller coaster.  I was happy and grateful to be employed but my job caused me a lot of stress and anxiety.  When I lost my job, I felt a wave of emotions.  Shock, relief, sadness, frustration, lack of energy and hopelessness to name a few.  My mental state wasn’t in a great place but I’m so thankful for my family and friends who helped keep me afloat.  When you’re feeling lost, it is hard to be positive.  However, I believe what you put in the universe is what you get out, so I have been working on maintaining a positive mindset and putting out more positive thoughts.  It is important to take care of yourself from the inside out.  This year, I want to take control of mental health.  I would like to incorporate meditating into my daily routine.

What are your New Year’s resolutions or goals?

Let me know in the comments!