Happy New Year! I hope 2018 has kicked off to a great start for you.
I don’t know what it is about a new year that brings so much excitement… is it the feels for a clean start? A new year, new me, type of thing? Or is it the unknown of what is to come? I don’t know about you but I love to look back on the year been, write goals and set out to achieve them! Before I share my own personal goals with you I thought I’d share this 2017 highlights video from my wedding season.
I’ve never put my goals out to the world wide web before so it’s a little daunting but I’m doing it to seek accountability and in the attempt that it may motivate you too! Lets make 2018 our best year yet! Here are my top 3 goals… let me know yours in the comments! x
PERSONAL
GOAL: To make our house a home.
Matt and I accomplished a big goal in 2017… we built our very own first house! It is one of my biggest accomplishments to date, we worked very hard for three years to save for a house and were lucky enough to be able to build. We have been settling in for 4 months now and while the inside is nearly there the landscaping needs a bit of work. You can see from the image above it already has come a long way, the left hand side was in October 2017 and the right hand side January 2018. So far I have planted two plants which I really enjoyed doing and cannot wait to plant many more.
BY DATE: January 2019.
ACTION STEPS TO ACHIEVE:
– Continue to put photos of ourselves and family on the walls as well as artworks that we love.
– Finish our landscaping. Fences, gates, letterbox, lay grass and plant trees.
– Grow a vege garden.
FEARS:
– That time will slip away and I/we wont put in the effort.
CELEBRATE HOW: Drinks with family and friends on the lawn and deck! Because that’s what it’s all about right!
UPDATE: JUNE 2018 – Since we are now half way through the year I thought I would do a quick update to show how far we have come in 6 months. Our home is something we are working on in the background all.the time. Considering we are saving hard for our wedding we are slowing chipping away with our landscaping. All the exterior fences are complete… woohoo… the mowing strips are done and the grass is looking long and lush… there are a few random patches that need to be fertilised and a little TLC but all in all we are so happy with what we have achieved so far. There is still a lot to do… come on vege garden… we will get there tho!
BUSINESS
GOAL: Work on my business just as much as I work in my business.
Being a wedding and portrait photographer it’s super easy to get bogged down in the everyday admin of running a business. Culling and editing photos, answering emails, FB and Instagram messages, juggling accounts, sending invoices and contracts, location scouting, posting on social media etc etc… the list goes on. This year I really want to focus on the bigger picture of running a business.
BY DATE: Starting from today!
ACTION STEPS TO ACHIEVE:
– Service comes first!
– Blog more! At least once a month maybe even twice a month.
– Create a marketing plan and action it.
– Show up consistently in social media, post at least 2x a week.
– Grow an email list.
– Get featured in blogs and or wedding/baby magazines.
– Feel ahead of the game, try not to always be catching up!
FEARS:
– I fear I could get overwhelmed and swamped IN my business with the amount of work on my plate.
– I fear saying “no”.
– Don’t be afraid to look into outsourcing.
– Comparing my work to others.
CELEBRATE HOW: Invest in a Photography/Business workshop.
UPDATE: JUNE 2018 – Since we are now half way through the year I thought I would do a quick update to show how far I have come in 6 months. The biggest accomplishment right now would be that all my weddings are complete since late May. As you can see above, one of my action steps was “service comes first.” For me it is important to show my Brides and Grooms great service, which includes getting their photos to them as soon as I possibly can. Because I know they are dam excited to see them! Another huge accomplishment was being featured over on Together Journal with a whole group of talented Taranaki vendors. You can find the feature by clicking here.
WELLNESS
GOAL: Become a slimmer stronger version of myself.
“Shredding for the wedding” is a term that is frequently used these days. With only one year until my own big day I want to look and feel healthy on the inside and out. This is a common goal for most woman, but I truly am determined to stay on this path. I love my body and I don’t need to lose much weight its more about toning in the right places. Feeling energised, glowing hair and skin with a positive healthy mindset.
BY DATE: Starting from today
ACTION STEPS TO ACHIEVE:
– Continue to practice yoga at least 2x a week.
– Get back into running. Complete a 10k run without stopping.
– Drink more water and green tea.
– Step away from the computer more often and don’t feel guilty about it. It does more good then harm.
– Take time to relax, run a bath and read books.
– Go to bed earlier.
– Meal prep and have healthy snacks in the fridge/pantry on hand to avoid bad food choices.
FEARS:
– I will use the excuse “I’m too busy” to get out of the house to exercise.
– I wont look good in my wedding dress! Lol!
CELEBRATE HOW: A spa afternoon getting a massage and pedicure! My favourite!
So there they are! I hope this has inspired you to create goals for yourself in 2018?! Thanks to my girl Jenna Kutcher for inspiring me… she’s not really “my girl” but she’s amazing.
UPDATE: JUNE 2018 – Since we are now half way through the year I thought I would do a quick update to show how far I have come in 6 months. Back in January I wouldn’t have been able to run 3k without stopping but just last week I completed a 8k run. Although I am still so sore today it shows what can be achieved when you put your mind to something. I will be signing up to run the Cape Egmont 10.5km relay… although I could push myself to do the half marathon, I could always aim to do that later in the year. Whats great about the Cape Egmont race is that all profits go towards the Taranaki Cancer society. Wanna join me? Sign up here! I’m a gal who loves chocolate, lets be honest it’s something I could never give up… but I have been trying to keep healthy snacks at hand. At the moment I’m loving Dr Libby’s brain ball recipe. It’s got that dark chocolate hit but they’re not sweet so you don’t feel like going for another and another… much like Squiggles do! I think whats been the best thing these last 6 months is being mindful. Mindful with how I move my body, mindful with what I put into my body and mindful with my thoughts. It’s a journey and we still have another 6months of the year… how are you going to spend your time?