Welcome, friends!

I am so glad you’ve stopped by.  In the journal you’ll find entries of real weddings, design inspiration, planning tips, with a few personal posts along the way.  I’d love to hear any comments you have. 

Why I’m Forgoing Resolutions this year, and what I’m doing instead

 

I’ve always disliked the idea of New Year’s resolutions.  There’s this paralyzing sense for me that it is to be a sweeping change, and for lack of better words, something un-fun.  Like “getting in shape” or “losing weight”.  So, while I love the idea of self-improvement and am a self-proclaimed go-getter, I’ve never vibed with resolutions.  Maybe you’re like me and setting resolutions doesn’t ignite a fire in your belly or inspire you to dream about the year.  (I also feel like January is my least-energized time of year and goal setting and manifesting would be better suited for April or September.)  Anyone else with me on this?  

#smallbusinesslife 

 Instead of resolutions, I made plans and set milestones that felt less daunting and “you have to do this all year or you fail” kind of things.   So what sort of structure did I follow?   Here’s the thing… I’m actually excited about them!  

01.  Twenty for 2020 

Gretchen Rubin, a best selling author, researcher, and podcast host is an expert on happiness, habit formation, and is the creator of The 4 Tendencies.  She and her sister started 18 for 2018, and here we are continuing on in 2020. Essentially, these goals can be one time fun things, a year long aspiration, all of the above: from buying the perfect black purse to writing a manuscript.  

A few of mine that are personal-life focused:  

Read 50 books ; Plan an overnight or day trip to New York ; Welcome a cat to the family (working on my husband for this one) ; and do paddleboard yoga.  

(I’ve also made a list for business) 

What would you want to do?  

02.  Annual Business Dreaming 

One of the best ways I planned for the New Year was participating in an online planning workshop in early December, hosted by Love & Spreadsheets. 

We walked through the major areas of business: from your marketing plan, to your financial plan, your content plan to a project plan.  I felt SO good, because it was manageable, and I headed into Christmas with already a full 2020 business plan. And here’s the thing. I didn’t just make stuff up.  When I sat down to write, I realized my subconscious brain already knew pretty much exactly what I wanted to work on.  As in, I put pencil to paper and ideas flowed.  That was a revelation to me.  I highly encourage putting it on your list for next year!  

Yes, you read that right: wordS of the year.  Word ideas kept coming to me, and I decided why just one?  And I love it, because without the other wouldn’t tell the whole story of what I want this year to be.   Each has a special meaning to me, as I head into my third year of business.   In the past I’ve felt like this is kind of cheesy, but I’m coming around to it (clearly).  There’s something powerful about having a touchstone; a grounding force to bring focus and clarity when ideas swirl or I get distracted.  (like every day).

04. My 2020 Road Map 

So I’m super excited about this one.  Lowe’s has $6 large size whiteboards …..?! 

I created a road map for the year, because I knew without it, all of the above ideas would get stuck in a drawer and I’d promptly forget about all these goals and ideas I wanted to bring to life.  My board includes things I want to see everyday, like my goals, my quarterly focus, the words of the year, and potential ideas and projects.  It hangs by my desk to remind me that I invested this time in myself and to stick with it.  

I want to know, how are you planning and dreaming this January?  

And who says resolutions are the only way?  

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