Wearing: Necessary Clothing Coat | J.Crew Factory Top | ZARA Pants | WhoWhatWear Collection Boots (similar here) | ZARA Bag | Quay x Desi Sunnies
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
2018 was definitely a year. If I had to describe 2018 in one word, it would be uncomfortable. I was consistently pushed out of my comfort zone and forced to grow.
I was still dealing with the aftermath of being laid off due to company closure towards the end of 2017. Finding a job had not come easy. Through the help of a friend, I landed a part-time freelance gig. Then, I left for a full-time freelance gig that ended earlier than expected and left me unemployed for six weeks straight. Unemployment was not releasing funds to me me as I learned, about three weeks, in that I owed them money from 2017. (I will share this story one day.) With no income coming in and bills still due, I started my gently used selling clothes, shoes and accessories on Poshmark. Believe it or not, I made enough money to pay all of my bills. (Read the whole story here.)
Everything with unemployment was straightened out days before I started my next part-time freelance gig. It was June and I was so over freelancing and struggling financially. Every day I was e-mailing recruiters and applying for jobs like a mad woman. I needed my full-time salary and I needed health insurance.
Then, opportunity knocked on my door and I had a choice to make: the job at the company of my dreams or the job with the position of my dreams. (Funny enough, they were also a block and half away from each other!) I went with the position of my dreams and the last six months of the 2018 were smooth sailing, for the most part. 🙂
I had to go through and grow through a lot but I believe that it was all preparation for 2019 and all of the years to come. Getting laid off took a toll on me mentally and I definitely lost a piece of myself. (Read more about that here.) I felt like I spent most of 2018 getting my groove back. I was put in positions where I needed to be positive, be strong and have faith that things will come together. I was constantly being reminded of who I am and who I’ve always been – a strong woman that always pulls through.
I’m looking very forward to this 2019. I feel very in control and I’m ready to make it my best year yet. When I look at my goals from 2018, while I did improve on a few, there are some that I would like to continue working on this year, like traveling more and focusing on my mental health. In addition to those, here are three things I want to work on in 2019:
Read More – I can’t remember the last time that I actually sat down and read a book. This year, I want to get back into the habit of reading books. I’ve always loved reading and I used to read at least 30+ books a year when I was in middle school. I read articles on my phone daily but it’s not the same as reading an actual book and learning from it. I definitely want to reread some of my favorites as well as purchase some new books that I’ve had in my Amazon cart for some time. I’m eager to see how many I can read this year!
Establish a Daily Routine – Every morning when I wake up, I immediately check my phone, roll out of bed, and get ready for the day. I’m not happy about it and I want to change that. I want to wake up and not look at my phone but add meditation and journaling to my morning routine. Emails, texts and Instagram will still be there when I check my phone later on. I want to start the morning off on the right foot.
In addition to my morning routine, I need to establish an evening, after-work routine. Some days I come home from work and honestly, I’m super tired or drained and the last thing I want to do is work on the blog. Sure, I shouldn’t push myself if my energy isn’t feeling it but I also need to push through and stop slacking. I do a lot of blog tasks on the weekend but I should be dispersing them throughout the week as well.
Instead of coming home and scrolling through social media or watching Netflix, each day I want to do something that contributes to my blog. A day for brainstorming, a day for working on Pinterest, etc. I’m still in the process of what that will look like but I know content calendar will definitely be in that mix this year! Now that I have a workspace in my room, I believe it will motivate me and help me stay focused and committed to my work.
Prioritize my Health – I don’t eat terribly but I am guilty of snacking often. This year, I want to focus on adding healthier options to my meals and wait for it.. working out. I was very athletic growing up and I was always playing sports or in a gym. Since I started the 9-6 lifestyle, gyms and I have become strangers. However, once I am in workout mode, I’m a beast and I’m all about it.
I still haven’t decided what gym I want to join but to ease myself back into working out, I want to start out with hot yoga and pilates. If I only had to choose two workout classes to attend for the rest of my life, it would be those two. I love pilates, especially reformer pilates, because it’s a full body workout and using the machine provides more of a challenge vs. doing pilates on the mat. I love hot yoga because it releases body toxins, improves your immune system and aids with weight loss. As I get older, I know its vital that I take care of myself mentally and physically as well.
Instead of reviewing and reflecting on these goals at the end of the year, I want to revisit them monthly and evaluate how they’re going. Sometimes we start off the year motivated with goals and resolutions and lose sight of them a couple of months in. I am taking these very seriously this year and definitely want to provide progress updates to keep myself in check. Feel free to keep me in check as well!
I wish you all an amazing 2019! I hope you continue to grow, chase your dreams, push yourself out of your comfort zone and make this year the best one yet!