A New Thing I'm Trying for My 2021 Goals

Did you make New Year's goals for 2021? I know a lot of people didn't this year, and, trust me, I get it. Making it through this pandemic is certainly a worthy goal without adding any extras on top.

Personally, goals are my teeny, positive distractions from covid. Since there's little I can control about these circumstances, I've kept my annual tradition of setting goals with Austin as a reminder that I can still set a hopeful trajectory for my life.

And I'm trying a new thing with my goals this year! Which may be pretty obvious to anyone who's better than me at goal-setting, ha. But this year, I'm committing to revisiting them monthly. Too often in the past, I've written my goals on or around the New Year, and then reviewed them in December like I was opening up a fortune cookie to see what it said.

By reviewing them more frequently, I can even decide monthly if a goal is still worth pursuing or not. No shame in changing your mind about what you want to work toward!

By looking over my January 1st goals at the beginning of February, I've already noticed I'm baaaaarely succeeding at my 2021 goals of having better morning and nighttime routines, which is something I still want to work toward. On the flip-side, I did a good job of decluttering in January, and we're almost completely finished with our front living room. (hooray!)

I don't know if I'll share monthly updates on my personal goals, but I'm excited to review them and see how far I've come throughout the year. Sending you all the warm, hot chocolate, hot soup, hot-anything-vibes as it is COLD out there. xo!

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What 2020 Taught Me

Hiiii, remember me?! 

I went into 2020 expecting a very normal year where I was going to bake bread, just for fun. Then the world closed down, everyone learned to bake bread, and I didn’t even have the energy to do that. For all of us, 2020 was heavy and disorienting. But I’m thankful for a new year, a clean slate, and the promise of a hopeful tomorrow.

The number one lesson 2020 taught me is to appreciate the little things. Of course, I’m thankful for HUGE things in my life, like health, family, a job I love, etc. But when a year like this removes a lot of the small, everyday routines in life, I’ve learned to chase the tiny joys harder and appreciate the new:

• the satisfaction from placing the final piece of a puzzle
• challenging how many times I can flip the same vinyl without feeling sick of it
• walks around my neighborhood have become an anchor I didn’t know I needed
• the happy + sad feeling from finishing an addictive tv series
• sitting around a fire during a snowfall was just as magical as it sounds
• the shared intimacy of facing a tough year with people I love

Ironically, the one project I did keep up with in 2020 was recording 1 second of (nearly) every day of the year. I went into 2020 thinking this would be a fun hobby, without having any clue that it would become my personal time capsule for a year the world was turned upside-down.

 

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Some days from 2020 feel bigger than others — the day we left the office to work from home, knowing barely anything about what a pandemic was. Easter at home. My best friend’s wedding. Biden winning the election. Thanksgiving and Christmas, to name a few.

But recording 1 second a day gave equal time and priority to every day of 2020, and it’s a good reminder that the bulk of our lives happen in the small moments between each big event.

Sending you so much love + well wishes for 2021, savoring the little things, especially as we face the (hopefully!) final days of this pandemic.

xoxo

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My Goals for 2020

Feels like 2020 is getting off to a slow start—do you feel that way, too? It's January 23, and I'm just now finishing up some little New Year's notes and really digging into what I want out of 2020. And the first month is already almost over!

I went easy on myself with my goals for the first week of the year, and I think that was the right choice for me. The holiday season was so busy this year (and we don't even have kids!!), and I needed some time to rest + recoup. But goal setting (and sharing my goals!) is one of the things that brings me joy, and I like putting them out there, so there's a little built-in accountability. Here are some of the things I'm putting my mind to in 2020.

Move my body 3 times/week
I know this probably sounds crazy to some, but I've never really had a good routine around exercising! I'm hoping to develop this habit now, as I know it's something I want to carry with me as I get older. I'm not making too many rules around how I should be exercising, though, which seems like the right choice for me. The second week of January, I did yoga, and last week, I walked a BUNCH on a fun trip to Atlanta to purchase new items for my shop.

Learn to bake a loaf of bread
I'm not sure if I'll turn into a lifelong baker from this (probably not, tbh), but I love the idea of knowing exactly what went into my food—especially bread. I think bread can tend to carry a lot of preservatives, and I'm interested in knowing how to make my own.

Sew an outfit
I learned to sew from my grandma when I was young, and I always love doing it when I make the time. I'm hoping to devote a little more time to that hobby this year, and hopefully I'll have some cute outfit to show for it!


Read 12 books this year
Reading is something I always want to do, but I don't always plan to do. This is the year I'm planning to do it.

Finish our bedroom
We have several years worth of house projects in the pipeline, and I'm honestly looking forward to them! I'm hoping to feel like our bedroom is in a good place by the end of 2020, so we can have a little retreat away from any other renovation areas. Having one space "done" will feel so good!


And the reality is, I g2g now because I haven't exercised yet this week, and it's Thursday. Gotta kick it in gear to meet my quota. Ha! Did you make any goals this year? I'd love to hear them if so!!

p.s. all the photos in this post are by my dear friend Beth Solano, who recently launched a beautiful new website. You should look it up, and follow her on Instagram! xo.

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My Favorite Date of the Year

Austin and I tend to eat out pretty often in this stage of life, and—this might surprise you—we're not big movie-goers. A lot of our date nights are pretty simple, with a dinner we'd enjoy, or a little time downtown. Since we both work downtown, too, there isn't always a huge difference between our "date" nights and our day-to-day. For an anniversary or special occasion, we may do something a little larger, but for the most part we're pretty predictable. We like sharing cubicles at J.O.B. or a cheese board at Scotch & Soda.

But, there is one day of the year that we make an exception to our basic date, and I look forward to it more than anything else. Since Austin and I have been married, we've started a New Year's Eve tradition of setting goals together and making a date out of it.

We'll call it the "let's do this" date, because we like writing our goals on this notepad in particular. Cherry Picker is another favorite of ours, and that's where we like going for this date. It's the best place in town to focus on contentment, cherishing the past, and considering what we want for the future. And I really can't explain why, but the vibe is there. We like taking it slow on this day with our tasty drinks and aspirations for the next year.

If you want to try your own "let's do this" date, here are some things we like to focus in on.

• We both write out individual goals on our own papers—we take some time to consider where we're interested in improving on our own first.
• Then, we trade papers and see what each other wrote. This is one of my favorite parts of our little tradition because it's a special way to connect, and I think it's extra important to share your goals with people who can root you on.
• Some of our goals are bigger, and some are small. For example, I wrote "bake a loaf of bread" on my list this year. That, theoretically, could just take a day, but it's something I know I want to do in 2020, so it went on the list.
• Finally, we sync up and write a list together. Some of the items are copied from one or both of our lists, but the focus here is that we both have individual goals, and then we have our goals as a couple.

The most important part of goal-setting is mindset. I try to never set goals from a place of negativity or beating myself up for things I haven't done yet. I love to think of a new year as full of potential, with endless possibility, especially as I go into it welcoming expansion. Wishing you all a 2020 full of both growth + peace. ❤️

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My 2019 Goals

Well, it's the 10th and I'm just now getting around to sharing some of my 2019 goals, but hey — every day is a chance for a fresh start, right?!

I love the opportunity that presents itself during the New Year season to celebrate the past and set high hopes for the future. This year, more than any singular BIG goal, I'm hoping to focus my energy on smaller lifestyle habits that I hopefully will adopt for the long haul. I read The Power of Habit last year, and I've become convinced that all BIG goals are achieved by pursuing small, attainable actions.

So, here are some of my (hopefully!) attainable action steps for 2019:

Make time for breakfast
I'm the type of person who genuinely forgets about breakfast a lot. (Unless it's a weekend and "breakfast" means "brunch" — in which case, I never forget). But during the week, I tend to get ready for the day and then just... start working. Sometimes I have a latte for "breakfast" and sometimes I don't eat at all until later in the afternoon. Breakfast sounds like a peaceful meal if I'd make time for it, so I think I'll try that this year.

Try four new recipes each month
I love learning more about food, and the CSA Austin and I joined last year was so good for us. This year, I want to expand on the types of food we make at home. There's nothing wrong with having good standby meals, but I really enjoy following creative recipes and experiencing new flavors together. So, more of that in 2019!

Make $$$ in a garage sale/Insta sale/DePop sale?
Purging some unwanted items has been on my goal list for a while, but I haven't been prioritizing it. When I have free time with opportunities to purge, I tend to decide that time is more worthwhile spent having coffee with a friend or running errands. Maybe this is the year I actually take Marie Kondo's advice rather than just bingeing her show on Netflix. 😆

Less screen time/more time for what matters
A funny fact about me: I am kiiiiinda behind in iPhone technology. By that I mean, I have a 6S that I got a couple years ago, and I haven't updated it for fear the operating system will freak out on me. (It's happened before). I'm planning to upgrade my phone soon and take full advantage of the screen time controls.

In addition to that, Austin and I are aiming to instill "no media Monday" at home this year. Instead of being on our phones or watching TV, the plan is to do literally anything else — go on a date, have a dance party, clean the house, read a book...  You get it! This is the goal I'm most excited about and that I think will make the biggest impact. I'm excited to see how this unfolds!

Do you have any goals for 2019? I'd love to hear 'em. 💕

P.S. Outfit details! I'm obsessed with Everlane right now, so... here ya go: Sweater // Pants // Hat (this is the same one in beige, but I got mine locally from The Market)

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SLT Bookclub: January

One of my goals for 2017 was to read more. And, I would say I did read more last year, but I still didn't read quite as much as I intended. Of course, I read a ton of articles online (...and Instagram captions... 😅), but I didn't put in a good plan in place for reading "real" books.

So, now I have a plan in place. It's called accountability. Ha!



My goal is to read a book that's new to me each month, instead of just re-reading the Harry Potter series until I retire or die (whichever comes first).

I'm starting in January with The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. This is a book that's been sitting on my bedside table for a few months; I started it, but got distracted by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. (Hey, at least I'm being honest).

Chapter 7 in this book is titled "How Target Knows What You Want Before You Do", so I'm expecting it to be a page-turner! Anyway, I'm hoping to fly through this in January and share my February choice sooner in case any of you want to read along with me. I'm also planning on sharing this stuff on Instagram using #SLTbookclub, so.. stay tuned!

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My 2018 Goals

Well, friends. The time has come to set our intentions, hopes, goals and dreams for 2018. Technically, I suppose the time has already come and gone, but the word I chose for 2018 was “grace”, so I’ll give ya some grace if you haven’t set any goals yet.

And if you’re sick of hearing about goals, don’t worry. January will be over soon, and then we can all resume watching Netflix for hours without feeling guilty about that gym membership we never used.

Alrighty, here are a few of my goals — some are my own, and some are ones Austin and I are working on together:


Establish a morning routine
When I first joined the full-time freelancer club, I envisioned a glorious morning routine. I’d wake up at the crack of dawn, of course, complete an hour of yoga, and then sing to myself as I made some very Instagram-worthy avocado toast. Every day. Before 7 a.m.

While the goal may have been a little unrealistic, it was certainly not my reality. So, this year, I’m interested in doing some work to uncover the best morning routine for my needs. I have a hunch avocado toast may still be part of the equation.


Host at least 4 get-togethers in my home
I fully believe an open door and a welcoming environment set the tone for some of our deepest connections. So, hosting more parties may seem like a trivial goal, but I really don’t think it is. When I look back on 2017 and some of my favorite moments, most of them were shared in community either in my own home or in a good friend’s home. I’m excited for even more of that in 2018.


Cook more healthy meals at home
This is one that Austin and I want to work on together. Cooking together is always more fun than cooking alone! For starters, we’re doing the A Beautiful Mess “Weekday Weekend” challenge, and I’m excited to keep working on these habits as the year continues.

Purge unwanted items
This one was on last year’s goal list, and yep, it’s back.



What do you think? What’s on your goal list for 2018?

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Update: My 2017 Goals

Before moving on and sharing my 2018 goals with you, I decided I should take a look back at 2017 and see how I did with my aspirations. If you read this post last January, you saw that most of the goals I shared on my blog were a kind of everyday, lifestyle adjustment. Those are, in my opinion, simultaneously easier and harder than the biggie "quit my job" type of goals since our daily habits are so ingrained into who we are.



OK, so let's recap. Last year's goals:
- Host more people in my home
- Take a trip overseas (and travel more in general)
- Cut the clutter
- Write more (and read more), which had 3 subgoals: blog more than I did in 2016, continue writing for organizations I admire, send more handwritten letters.

Host more people in my home. Technically, this wasn't a very well-written goal because it wasn't measurable. However, I would say that I hosted more people in 2017 than I did in 2016, although I'm not positive because I didn't keep a captain's log of how many parties I had. 🙃

Take a trip overseas (and travel more in general). Yes, and times three! Austin and I were able to go to Iceland, Paris and Croatia for our honeymoon, and I'm so thankful for that experience. We both love to travel, so I have a feeling travel plans will make it into many of our goal lists for years to come. (P.S. The photo above is from the black sand beaches in Iceland!)

Cut the clutter. I'm giving myself a C- on this one because I did cut some clutter, but I still have my high school prom dress laying around somewhere. I'm still hoping to work on this area.

Write more (and read more). 
- Blog more than I did in 2016. Yes, BARELY. In 2016 I shared 26 blog posts, and I published 27 in 2017. Ha! But, to be fair to myself, I started blogging for some other companies this year, so I definitely did blog more... just not necessarily here.
- Continue writing for organizations I admire. Yep, and still wanting to do more of this. In 2017, I wrote a ton for Feast, a regional magazine that focuses on Midwest food culture. If you're a Springfield foodie friend (or just curious), you can check out my archives here.
- Send more handwritten letters. Do wedding invitations count? 🤗 Still want to work on this one!

I think it's important to evaluate the progress you've made and consider what goals you should keep trying to achieve before you wipe the slate clean and start over. And be fair to yourself when you don't achieve everything on your list! I didn't accomplish every single thing I intended to for 2017, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up on 2018.

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Why I Make Goals Instead of Resolutions

“Goals” versus “resolutions” may seem a lot like “tomato, tom-AH-to” to some people, but I think there’s a legitimate difference between the two. A lot of times, New Year’s resolutions sound like a list of don’ts for the upcoming months. And once you break them, you’re toast. Oh, and speaking of toast, remember that “no carbs” resolution? No toast for you.

Personally, I think making goals instead puts the focus on a more positive approach to the new year. Instead of saying everything you’re going to cut out, you get to dream (and dream big!) about what you would like the year to look like. I talked about it in this post, but research says people who write down their goals are 80 percent more likely to achieve them. So, last year, Austin and I had a date where we went to one of our favorite local shops, got cozy and dreamed big for 2017. It was so simple, but it might be my favorite date we’ve ever had. We both took our own journals, lined out a few things, and then collaborated on a list of goals together. We’re planning to do it again this year.

So, here’s the other thing: We didn’t hit every goal on our list last year. But honestly, that makes me even more excited to rethink our purposes and goals for 2018. Maybe we’ll bring some 2017 ones into 2018, or maybe we’ll reconsider whether those goals were the right ones for us. Making new intentions for the year should be things you want to do, not things you just feel like you should do.

If you want to make goals but don’t know where to start, here’s my 2 cents:

• Think about the type of person you want to be, on the whole. Don’t just write down weight loss goals or career goals, consider how you can be a more intentional friend or family member.
• Consider what actions represent your aspirations. Instead of writing down “lose 20 pounds”, a better goal would be “cut out processed sugar”. It can be hard to figure out how to get from point A to point B without a clear roadmap.
• Give yourself grace. In my opinion, resolutions are strict and goals are all about grace. There’s that saying on a poster in 5th grade classrooms that says, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you fall, you’ll land among the stars”, and while it’s cheesy, I think there’s some amount of truth to it.

Going to write down some goals and gettin’ all excited about the year to come! xo!

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My 2017 Goals

Happy 2017, friends!

Earlier this week, I sat around in a hot tub with some of my good friends, and we talked about our goals for the year. One of my goals is to not go hot tubbing in the winter with a head cold, but hey, we’re all working on something. Over the years, I’ve gone from being a bit lazy and lost when it comes to self-direction to finding so much energy from creating and achieving goals. I know some people say creating goals stresses them out, but for me, it’s all about baby steps and writing ‘em down.

I’ve started writing a list of goals for each year in my personal journal, and since it’s so fun to look back and see what I hoped/prayed for and what I accomplished, I decided to share a few of ‘em here!

1. Host More People in my Home
Whether it’s for a quick after-work cheese plate or a three-day weekend, I want my apartment to be a place family and friends feel welcome and rested.

2. Take a Trip Overseas (and travel more in general)
Since high school, it’s been rare for me to be in good ‘ole Springfield without seeing much more of the world, but 2016 was different. I didn’t travel much this year, and while I love my hometown, sometimes a gal's gotta put her passport to use.

3. Cut the Clutter
While I’m certainly not planning to buy a tiny house and become a minimalist (SO admire that lifestyle, but then I walk in an Anthropologie and lose all self control), I do want to purge some unnecessary things from my life. (Lookin’ at you, high school prom dress.)

4. Write More (and Read More!)

This goal has three parts:

- Blog more than I did in 2016

- Continue writing for organizations I admire

- Send more handwritten letters.

On the reading thing, I read a lot for work. It's kinda my job. BUT, that being said, I want to read more for myself this year.

It probably goes without saying, but the best part of the hot tub time wasn’t telling everybody what I wanna do, but hearing about their dreams for 2017! Comment, email, text or message me your goals. I want to hear ‘em!

Outfit details: Coat - Vince Camuto (last season, similar here), Turtleneck Dress - c/o StyleWe, Orange Tunic - H&M (out of stock, similar here), Boots (Similar)

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On Setting Simple Goals

Confession time: I've never been a very big "goal setter". Until recently, that is. In school, the highly motivated teacher's-pet type people always had very clear goals for what they wanted to do in the next 5 minutes, 5 months, 5 years, etc. Not me! I've tended to be a little more loosey-goosey about how I go about my days. (Think "Type B Personality").

So, in an effort to be more "Type A," because I guess that's a good thing, I've decided to do more goal-setting. A wise individual once said "your dreams become goals when you write them down", and I think there's some truth to that. So this year, instead of being well-intended and buying an agenda, I've been well-intended AND even written some things down!

It turns out there's research to support writing down goals. This book, What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School, says in 1979, only three percent of the Harvard business grad students had set clear goals for their future and written them down. Another 13 percent had goals that they hadn't put on paper, and 84 percent didn't have any specific goals. That's mind-blowing to me because I thought Harvard business students were supposed to have stuff together. It's also encouraging that I'm not alone here (and I'm with the majority of Harvard, alriiiiiiight.)

Ten years later, those who had goals were making twice as much as the other group. What's even crazier is the ones who had written down their goals were making TEN TIMES MORE than the rest of the group.

So I guess the takeaway is goals are good. I haven't made any crazy-huge goals yet like invent the first hovercraft à la Back to the Future Part II. At the moment, I'm mostly writing down things I have to do (like renew the tags on my car) and rewarding myself when I get 'er done. I don't reward myself with anything big — it could be a latté that I would have bought anyway, but somehow it tastes sweeter if you feel like you've earned it.

No word on whether "renew the tags on your car" will make me earn ten times more in my mid-thirties, but I'm willing to give it a shot. And research also says that writing things down helps you to remember them, so, y'know, I remember to renew my tags. Or I'll be more likely to remember my long-term goals.

Any goal-setters out there? If so, let's become friends so you can rub off on me.

Photos by Austin Elliott of Locke + Stache Media.

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