Happy New Year Guys!!!
I’m so incredibly excited for 2018. I’m feeling mad inspired by so much (mainly people) to really shake things up this upcoming year. Do you like to do New Years resolutions? In years past, I’ve always thought about them and always wanted to put them into in affect but some many times I’ve gotten distracted and they go by the way side. 2018 is all about accountability for me. One thing I’ve learned in recent years is that I need to hold myself more accountable for my happiness and what I want to accomplish throughout the years of my life. So I’m welcoming 2018 with open arms as a fresh start & to put this mindset into action.
So as the first post of 2018 I want to talk about my goals, resolutions and intentions for this new year. And I want to hear yours too!!!! Comment and let me know what your hopes & dreams for the new year are. Here are my big 7
Goals & Resolutions:
- Make time for God daily
- Develop healthy habits & turn them into a lifestyle
- Include a morning and evening routine into each day
- More blogging & incorporate more personal/lifestyle posts
- Read more
- Move to a new place
- Take a road trip
Let’s go into detail…..
Make time for God daily: This one is big for me. As a christian its essential to constantly & consistently be pursing God. This is where I fall short often. This year I really want to devote more time for the spiritual part of my life. My soul is craving it. I not only want to adjust my work schedule so I can attend church weekly but I also want to start my morning with a daily devotional & some quiet time for prayer. I really think that this will not only be beneficial for me spiritually but also beneficial for my mental/emotional wellness too. I always have more clarity and less stress when I put God first, it’s time to get back to that.
Develop healthy habits & turn them into a lifestyle: This one is a constant struggle but I’m still motivated to keep health goals for 2018. Nothing crazy but nothing lax either. I want to eat healthier daily, aim to exercise 4 to 5 times a week and indulge regularly (not everyday) without feeling guilty. When I think about healthy habits physically I’m thinking more water intake, daily vitamins, more fruits & veggies, more salads, meal prepping 😣 more exercise, more sleep, stretching, those kind of things.
Now what about mental/emotional health habits? This piggy backs the spiritual stuff I mentioned ↑ and a few other things. This year I’m particularly interested in this. The last few years have been way too stressful in my life. This year it’s a priority to find some balance. Sometimes I get so stressed I feel like my head could literally pop, it’s no good. I’m a firm believer that we are responsible for our own happiness so this year I’m actually quite excited to become more selfish for positive reasons. I think my other goals and resolutions will help me to be more productive in this area too. Reading more, developing routines, getting my sh*t together, maybe a change of scenery, I hopeful these will all lead to some health & happiness in 2018.
Include a morning/evening routine into each day: I have no routine in my life. This starts now. I want to be better at getting up each day to not just put myself together but to collect my thoughts and make time for me. I’ve heard that you’re more productive when you’re an early riser so I’ll be making more of an effort to be one. Quiet time for daily devotion will be a big part, as well as eating breakfast every morning (no more skipping breakfast) & some exercise. Wish me luck on this one, I am not a morning person 😑
And for evening or nighttime I really need a routine to help me unwind from the day. I’m thinking relaxing music, some quiet time for reading or to organize my thoughts, definitely include a hot bath and maybe drink something warm & cozy to help me sleep. Right now my sleep patterns are atrocious; I can’t fall asleep, can’t stay asleep & I toss and turn all night, so this resolution I’m working right away.
More Blogging & incorporate more personal/lifestyle posts: Very excited about this one. I love my blog but I also love other blogs too. I love having time to catch up on my favorites. When I started Just Add Sprinkles it was strictly to be a food blog because at the time it’s what I felt most passionate about which was creating recipes & sharing my favorites that I found from others. This blog will continue to be about recipes but lately I’ve felt a strong pull to slowly transition into a food/lifestyle blog. I love lifestyle blogs and seeing what other people are doing or getting themselves into. Using a blog as a platform to share your thoughts, tips, adventures or struggles is so inspiring and I want a piece of it, so this year I’m going for it. I’ve always been apprehensive to share more personal posts on here but I think the challenge & vulnerability will help me for the better. I really want food to always be a big part of this blog because I love food and I love sharing recipes. I love to cook, bake & eat and I know many of you do too. I’ve received so many comments from people telling me that they’ve loved a recipe or how happy it made them and their family – this makes me heart sing. But with that being said I also think it’s time to shake it up a little bit so get ready to see more of me in 2018!
Read More: I want to get my book worm on! Knowledge is power & I want to include more knowledge in 2018. You should never stop learning and there’s so much I want to know. Maybe become that stereotypical person that reads before bed (as part of my nighttime routine)… Right now I’ve got my sights on some self improvement books that I’m ready to dive into and I’m hoping to share more of what I’m reading and learning with you on the blog.
Move to a New Place: Kyle and I have been talking about this one for a while now and I think this year it’s time. Fort Lauderdale will always be home but I’m starting to feel confined here, even tho it’s a big, busy city. I’ve lived here my whole life; I’ve seen everything there is to see, eaten every where there is to eat, driven all the same roads & I know a lot of people here. And I’m actually looking for a little bit of a quieter, slower atmosphere. I think a change of scenery would do us some good. It will be a challenge to move and it’ll force us out of our comfort zones. Both are important for personal growth and I think it’d be fun to share that experience with him, so hopefully this year we can make it happen.
Take a Road Trip: While the rest of my resolutions are about personal growth, health/wellness, challenges, etc this one is all about fun. Kyle and I are planning a lengthy (we’re thinking 2 weeks) road trip from South Florida up to Washington D.C. & making a ton of stops in between. We’re hoping to hit up Savannah, GA; Charleston, SC; Asheville, NC and spend some time in D.C. We’re hoping to do this October of 2018. I cannot wait!!!!!
Intentions:
This year I am giving myself permission to make myself a priority and be a little more selfish. Over the years I’ve gotten into such a mindset that I need to make everyone else happy, help everyone else with what they want, support them and make sure their needs are taken care of and as long as I do that I’ll be okay. And while doing so was definitely generous, considerate and it’s always good to serve others I have left my hopes, dreams & ambitions, (almost) completely alone. I’m thankful for that tho because now I want it more. I want to push harder, work harder & the fire inside me burns brighter to continue to create the life & person I want to be. In 2018 I want to treat my mind & body right, I want to feed my soul the things it truly needs. I want more time with my husband. I want to live this year how I want to live it and not how I think everyone wants me to live it. I consider this sort of a breakthrough and it’s well timed. In 2018 I will turn 30 (!) and years ago I decided the decade of my 20’s were about learning and connecting with myself, blocking out all the surrounding noise of people telling me what to do with my life, how to handle things, what they think I’d be good at, etc. So with 30 and 2018 quickly approaching I can take this year by the horns and make it mine & I couldn’t be more excited.
Won’t you join me? I’d love for you to come on this new adventure with me.
Here’s to 2018 & a fresh start!
I want to hear your new year’s goals & resolutions!!! What are you hoping for in 2018, any suggestion on books? What about your morning or evening routines? How about road trips & moving, I’d love to hear what you think!