Guys, I have missed you so much. Really I have. And it is a new year. It is 2014, a date which I have not written yet. Isn't always weird when you write the new year for the first time?
I love a new year. It is a blank slate, a clean palette, a new beginning and all those other happy thoughts. It is a time of reflection and rest. It is a time for new goals. It is a time of joyous aspirations. Everyone is so happy, healthy and encouraging. I love all the goal posts. It is refreshing y'all.
A few days ago I finally got some quiet time and had no plans (Christmas break was b-u-s-y but p-e-r-f-e-c-t). I found myself really wanting a mantra for this year. I wanted something that I could cling to in every emotion of life and that is when I was thinking about my favorite sweater. It reads Follow Your Heart. When you are upset, follow your heart. When you are overjoyed, follow your heart. When you need to lose 10 pounds, follow your heart. When you give or need advice, follow your heart (and pray!). When you are contemplating that new pair of shoes that would be perfect for date night, follow your heart (and budget. ha.) And if y'all didn't rock already you all sent me encouraging words and fuzzy hearts. It was so good for my soul and the first step in the right direction for 2014. Follow me on instagram here for more fun. (It is set to private because I am a shaper of young minds but I promise to give you the thumbs up. Also this is a shameless plug for more friends that I can get to know on ig.)
So here I am following my heart and well, it is time for goals, dreams, aspirations, 2014 stuff. You with me? I made two lists. One personal, one business. Side note: this was the year of notebooks for me. Everyone who spends two seconds with me knows my love for paper goods and journals. After journal number 3 I decided I am a lucky lady with folks who spent their money correctly on me this Christmas. I loved writing my notes in my aqua journal with a cover that says Don't let anyone ever dull your sparkle. A kick in the pants and perhaps a goal down below? Did that create suspense for you? Knew it. Let's do this.
{Personal Goals}
+ Make/find a career that I love. Yes, I do teach but I am not sure where that is taking me. I am still learning a lot about teaching. I am a bit hesitation to share this. I love to write. I love pretty things. I love a good party. I love paper goods. I love the outdoors. Now how do I combine all that? A few goals down is one on trusting God. It all comes back to listening and trusting god.
+ Make our house a home. I have loved having time to decorate, clean, organize but we still have a long, long,
+ Make an effective budget and stick to it. Blah, blah, blah, blah, I need it, blah. Apparently I need an attitude change about this too.
+ Do more of what matters in life. Oh my goodness, this one challenges me. It really does. I have a few days of so much joy doing what I love and then wonder why I don't continue that atmosphere and attitude each day. Crazy lady?! I want to breath it in (what matters most that is). I want to find out new hobbies that I didn't know I could love. I want to spend more time writing notes to friends (actual pen and paper). I want to be focused on a God that changes lives. He is so God and he matters most. Everything else falls into place after that.
+ Create + embrace true God given joy, success and learn 100% how to trust him. Learn how to trust. Gulp. I know God has more for me in certain aspects of my life and it is time to find them. I want to walk each step with him, wait for it, consistently. Embrace my God and who he is.
+ A vacation. A big ol' vacation with my good looking husband and maybe a few little ones thrown in there. I need sand in my toes, fresh mountain air in my lungs, good food in my belly and time to 1,000% unplug. Fingers crossed for a trip in late March.
+ Go to bed with my phone in the other room. This may be the second most important thing for me. Gah, I love social media but I hate it too. Luckily R got a new alarm clock. We will see how that goes.
{Business Goals}
+ Give LBP a new look, new social media face lift, a new name (say what?), a new everything. I am ready for a fresh new look. I want a blog that I love. Every.square.inch.and.post.of.it.
+ Work more effectively. This is my Achilles heel. Straight up y'all. I love to turn the tv on or pull up social media or fold laundry (totally kidding on the laundry part) but the point is I get distracted. Follow through and effectiveness is my new middle name. Katie Effective Farrin. It works?
+ Change up my content. One of the biggest changes I am making to the blog is changing it just from weddings and relationships to a lifestyle blog. SURPRISE! Ha. I will still feature wonderful couples and weddings but I also want to throw in a fun recipe I make, a cocktail that changed my life, a photo of my new tulle skirt, real talk about life. I want more real. Real life, real mistakes, real dreams, real love.
+ Make stronger business friendships and connections. There are so many times I want to email, comment and hug other bloggers, business women, photographers, shop owners, fabulous people but fall away to fear. Is it silly that I am 26 years old and live in fear when it comes to my dreams? I need to make no apologies for who I am and what I stand for. I want to build friendships with lovely people that are encouraging and who can inspire me with their awesome, spectacular lives. So hi to anyone new here today.
+ Create a brand I love. Yes, this goes back to giving LBP a new look but also content that excites. I cannot wait to share more. Eeeep!
+ Create more pretty. Pretty in my book is making others happy, making myself happy, sparkle, crisp images, gold everything, flowers, laughter, laugh lines ;), time with my favorite people, mentoring, encouraging others, life. I want all that here. On these pages, uh, blog posts. Thank you Lord for three years of blogging. It has been a constant. I love this space but it is time to really make my own. It only took two years of trying y'all.
So what do you think? What are your plans? How are you making things happen? I hope that I can help and encourage you along the way. I hope that 2014 is a year of bliss, change, letting go and most importantly, following your heart. 2014, I see you and I am coming full steam ahead.
Image via Stephanie Sterjovski
Love your goals, girl! Can't wait to see what you'll make Lovebird Productions this year and yay!! for lifestyle content!! So excited for all of this and for you!! xoxo
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