Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

Holy hiatus! I never planned to be away from the blog this long, but life got in the way. Things have been busy with the holidays, of course, and working in retail made my days even busier. And yet I can't believe it is the last day of the year! I still have so much I'd like to share here, and I am committed to doing just that in 2016. A new year means new goals and renewed focus, and I'm excited to welcome new adventures and tackle new challenges as well. For now, I'm sending my love and best wishes to all for a happy and prosperous New Year!

I'll leave you with a peek at this year's Christmas card (from Minted), which featured 12 photo highlights from 2015 on the back. Can't wait to see what 2016 has in store for us!

Hello New Year postcard by Lucille Michieli, 

found via Pinterest

Goal Digger : Making It Happen in 2015

Happy New Year! Hello, 2015! I ended 2014 with a bang and as a result spent January 1st in recovery mode, on the couch, in PJs, eating Chinese food. Perhaps not exactly the way I wanted to start the new year but, oh well. Today is a new day. And while yesterday wasn't the most productive, I did do one productive thing related to my resolution to be bold, to live with intent, and make things happen: I started reading Lara Casey's new book, "Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear, Take the Leap, Live on Purpose."

On New Year's Eve, I downloaded the e-book, my first purchase on the Kindle Fire my husband got me for Christmas, and last night, with my hangover finally subsided, I figuratively cracked open the pages.

I'm only on page 35 so far. I've read through chapter one (Stop Chasing Perfect) of section one (Surrender Your Fear) and yet Lara's words already have me feeling uplifted and motivated. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows. The book compels you to face what has been holding you back. In chapter one, I had to think about and write down how "chasing perfect" makes me feel and believe about myself (inadequate), what I am really striving for (happiness, success, significance), what my life would look like if I thew out the "shoulds" (freedom!) and what has stopped me from taking a leap of faith (fear of failure). I also had to answer that seemingly simple but not-always-so-easy-to-answer question, "How are you?" with uncomfortable honesty (a little lost, discontent, uninspired, unmotivated). Most of the time we put on the charade of perfection, that everything is "fine," but the only way one can truly move forward in a positive and productive way is to confront the issues that have been weighing down our body, heart and mind. And that's just what "Make It Happen" does, at least in the first 34 pages. Though I don't doubt there are more stop-and-make-me-think discussions to come.

The lies of perfection and shoulds tell us we aren't enough, but the truth paves a path for us to an abundant life of joy where we are more than enough. -Lara Casey, "Make It Happen"

At the end of chapter 1, there is a "Take Action" step to write a statement and place it somewhere you'll see every day. I'm also going to put it here:

I was created for a purpose, 

and it's time to make it happen!

In addition to reading "Make It Happen," I ordered a set of Lara's PowerSheets, a six-month supply of goal-planning and action-inspiring worksheets (105 in all!). In addition, I purchased Emily Ley's Home Base Binder Kit to keep them in and further help me get my life, and by proxy, my hubby's life, better organized. At first I thought the binder was something that would better serve a family, a couple with kids, but then I thought, what the heck. I need to be organized now with a system in place before I have kids! Which is a something G and I hope will happen in 2015.

I'm still waiting for the mailman to deliver my worksheets and binder, but I can't wait to receive them! Luckily, Lara recommends waiting to fill out the PowerSheets until you get to section four of the book, so I have some time. As Lara says, there's nothing magical about January 1. I'm not going to fail just because I didn't have all my ducks in a row yesterday. Setting and achieving goals is a journey, a process, and I am looking at the whole month of January as a season for just that.

I'm not necessarily planning on blogging about my whole "Make It Happen" journey, but I wanted to share with you today in case you are looking for some goal planning tools and resources. Even if you're not interested in the book, I'd highly suggest checking out Lara's blog, which is chock-full of inspiring, go-get-em content. (This would be a good place to start.) Not to mention beautiful downloads for your desktop to keep you motivated.

I particularly like these: Go & Do. Because Done is Better than Perfect. So true and yet so hard when you are a perfectionist like me. But I know I need to "stop chasing perfect" because, many times, it's fear of not being perfect that keeps me from getting anything done!

So here's to choosing PURPOSE over PERFECT in 2015. Cheers!

("Make It Happen" images via Lara Casey, 

Home Base Binder via Emily Ley, 

Goal Digger top image via Jenna Kutcher)

Twenty Fourteen

While part of me is ready to get into the new year and make things happen, I thought I should take a moment to reflect on all that has happened this year. 2014 was a time of incredible change. There were some struggles and a bit of hardships along the way, but lots of blessings, too.

This year I finished planning a wedding, got married to the love of my life (and officially became a military wife), honeymooned in Victoria, British Columbia (much-belated post to come one of these days!), celebrated my best friend's engagement and was able to be by her side when she said yes to the dress. Then my new hubs and I set off on a cross-country road trip (where we saw a lot, from the Grand Canyon to New Orleans) that ended in our new home of St. Petersburg, Florida, where we have set up our first house as a married couple in a humble apartment, welcomed a new fur baby into the family, made some new friends, done a lot of exploring (including a weekend getaway to Miami Beach) and a lot of cooking, eating and drinking, if I'm honest. Though I haven't posted much about it here, I picked up a new hobby this year (calligraphy) and so did G (guitar). We celebrated our first married Thanksgiving and Christmas, and tonight we'll have our first married New Year's kiss. 

And, of course, I launched this blog to try and chronicle it all. Thank you for reading, for commenting, and sharing in this crazy journey with me.

(Photos by heidi-o-photo)

Inspiration for the New Year

As we are on the precipice of a new year, I gathered together a collection of inspiring words that I'd like to stitch to my heart and carry with me, to motivate me, through 2015. If I had to choose one simple phrase as a theme of sorts for the coming year, it would be this: BE BOLD. I want to live boldly, laugh boldly, love boldly. I want to embrace the uncertain future and all its possibilities. I want to take risks, do what makes my heart sing and not fear failure. If anything, I want to welcome failure, learn from it, grow from it, and keep on going. I desire bravery, courageousness. I want to cultivate fierceness. As incredibly hard as it is for me, the one who hates change and feeling uncomfortable, I want to break out of the old habits weighing me down, live with intent and create magic.

Of course I'd like to be more organized, quit biting my nails (again!), make healthier food choices, exercise more, get my bank account on an upward swing... All those things I resolve to do every year. But I think that striving to live a more purpose-driven life will lead to a happier and more fulfilled me, and many of those things will just naturally fall into place.

Now, I know there is nothing magic about January 1. And I will need to remember that when I inevitably fumble in my grand (but doable, step-by-step) resolutions. Every day is a new day for a great day. Nevertheless, New Year's Eve does prompt reflection and the feeling that the slate is being wiped clean to start fresh and anew. So tonight, when the clock strikes twelve, I will toast to 2015 and welcome all that is to come and all that can be with open arms and a bold heart.

Do you make resolutions? If you had to pick a word, or a few words, to guide you through 2015, what would you choose?

(Image sources: Fierce, Be Brave, Start Today, Do Things,

 Less Habit, More Intent, She Believed, Don't Compare, 

Go Do Them, Why Not, Happy and Bright, and Magic)