This past year was one for the books (literally). 2020 was a year we will all remember and for most of us, it’s one we want to forget. Despite all of 2020’s challenges, I can’t help but think about everything it’s taught me. 2020 taught me to appreciate every hug and every smile. It taught me to appreciate every minute you get with the ones you love. It reminded me that at any moment, this life can be taken from you, so choose to live each day full of joy. And most importantly it taught me that everything I have is and always was, enough. In this post, I’ll be sharing my word of the year + my 2021 Goals.
My 2021 Word: Gratitude
I wanted to choose a word for 2021 that would reflect my goals and mindset for this upcoming year and the word gratitude kept coming to me. At the beginning of 2020, I started writing in a gratitude journal. I can honestly say I don’t know how my mental health would be today without it. Even on the darkest days, when I would be ridden with anxiety, it reminded me that there was still happiness surrounding me. The gratitude journal made me focus on the positive experiences from the day, the moments I enjoyed, the things I accomplished, and the kindness I spread to others. From there, I quickly realized that gratitude was one of the most powerful emotions I had. For me to be successful this year, I knew gratitude needed to be at the top of the list and that’s why I made it my word for 2021.
2021 Personal Goals
Take Time Each Day To Learn New Things
I thought of this goal one day as I was watching Landon run around the house, picking up everything he saw, curious about how everything worked. I realized then and there that I, myself, missed being curious. As adults, it’s easy to get wrapped into your 9-5 routine without thinking twice. I knew I wanted to spend my time differently this year. Learning new things not only helps our brain get stronger, but it also improves our mental health. I have been taking 15-20 minutes each day to learn something new by watching Ted-Ed videos, listening to impactful podcasts, watching documentaries, reading self-help books, and the list goes on.
Be More Present & Improve Work/Life Balance
These two goals go hand-in-hand for me and are reoccurring goals of mine every year. This past year and presently, it’s been harder than ever to be in the moment without watching the news or seeing everyone’s opinions plastered on every social media platform. It takes a lot more discipline now to be present, but it’s one of my main focuses for this year. How I’m taking action for this goal: 1) I am making it a priority to take more weekends off of social media to spend them with family. 2) I’m setting a time at night where my phone goes into my drawer for the night so I’m not tempted to look at it. 3). I am scheduling more Instagram breaks. I will start blocking off time away every quarter.
Go To Bed Early and Become An Early Riser
I used to be the type of person that was in bed by 8pm and asleep by 10pm. My sleep schedule got thrown off when we had Landon and I noticed my bedtime started to get later and later. I probably don’t fall asleep most nights until 1130pm-12am, which isn’t good. Landon luckily sleeps in until 730am so it does give me some extra time to sleep in the morning. I have been trying to fall asleep a little earlier each night (10 – 15 minutes each day). I felt that doing it in smaller increments vs a drastic change would help it be more attainable. My goal is to fall asleep by 11pm and be up by 6am so I can have a little more “me” time before mom mode starts.
Focus on Mental Health
Last year really took a toll on my mental health for so many reasons: a worldwide pandemic happened, my workload with my blog drastically increased, and I was learning how to balance my time with time spent with my family. I realized these changes all started to get to me mentally when I started to get anxious more, my outlook on things was less positive and I was a lot quicker to respond in an agitated manner. I want to spend this year really focusing on my mental state. The first step I took was practicing gratitude. I now start my mornings by filling out my gratitude journal and then I do a 10-15 minute meditation. Both of these things have already made a positive difference in how I feel when I start my day. Another way I’m going to focus on my mental health is to eat healthy meals and be consistent in working out. I am holding myself accountable to do at least 4 workouts a week.
2021 Blog Goals
- Average $3k in brand collaborations a month
- Be more consistent with Reels (goal is to post at least one Reel a week)
- Expand into a new social media channel
- Increase # of pitch emails sent to brands
My intent behind writing these goals was for you all to get to know me on a more personal level. I hope this post inspires you to write down your own goals for 2021 if you haven’t already. Wishing you all the best for this new year!♥
