HAPPY NEW YEAR!

There’s something magical about starting a new year. I know I don’t have to wait until the new year to make changes or improvements (and I don’t), but it is still a great motivator for me. Starting a new year brings fresh starts and clean slates. I love it! I wanted to share a few things I’m focusing on in 2021. None of us know what 2021 will hold, especially after 2020, so I am focusing on things I can control.

1. My mental health. 2020 spiked my already existing anxiety to a whole new level. I have been struggling a LOT lately about what people think of me. I’ve always cared a little more than I should, but it has been astronomical in 2020. I am going to incorporate journaling back into my routine. I’m going to start with once a week and then add in more as I feel anxious. I have found that if I don’t process through things when they happen, it builds up and comes out in tears or angry outbursts. I have placed my journal by my bed to use every Friday night for now.
2. Eating in more. I do NOT love cooking. If I could order out every day, I would. I just don’t enjoy cooking- I wish I did! However, we are not in a place to order out food every day, and I don’t think we ever will be. I also don’t think we should. Most of the places around us are not healthy options, and I want to continue to fuel my body right. The Day Designer planner I got for Christmas has a spot to plan out our dinners every day so we’re going to start using it. I stay much more accountable if I write things down. I know that this one is going to take a lot of effort for me, but I am excited to get better at this. If you have any tips, THROW THEM AT ME!
3. Being more consistent on my blog. I seriously love this blog so dang much. I have grown so much since I first began, and I love looking back and seeing that progress. I do know that I need to work on being more consistent. I think one of my problems has been that I haven’t been taking any “off days” from taking photos for my blog. That can be exhausting! I am going to try out doing a few daily blogs a week and one girl talk every month. That way I can concentrate on sharing really good content, and not just writing random stuff just to get a post out. I will also be able to have set days when I am not taking photos of everything I do and eat. It eases my anxiety just thinking about it!
4. My relationship with Jesus. In some ways, I have never felt closer to God. I go to Him a lot more often throughout my day to day life, and I feel very comfortable talking to Him and about Him. I do need to incorporate more devotionals into my life, and Kyle and I really want to find a new church home. I am in the process of making a list of churches around us for us to try so we can find the right fit. Once again, writing things down helps me a TON! I am also looking for an online bible study. I have seen girls on Instagram sharing Zoom meetings for bible studies, and I am going to try the next one I see!
5. Getting back to running. WOW I have been saying that a lot lately. I have been going on runs more and more, but I am not being consistent. That makes it hard to build your endurance back up again! Finding a 5K in the spring is on my to do list. Races keep me accountable, and I love training for something. It will probably be a virtual run, but that’s ok for now!
6. Continuing my lifting. I have been really enjoying getting into lifting this year, and I plan on continuing that into 2021! I still have a ton to learn, and I am excited to keep getting stronger.
7. Listening to my body. This past year has been such a year of growth for me when it comes to body image and self love. One of the biggest things I have learned is to listen to my body and NOT FEEL BAD ABOUT IT. If running, lifting, or whatever I’m doing starts making me miserable, I will step back and reevaluate. This is vital for my mental health, and I will keep doing it this next year.
8. Minimalism. I HAVE SO MUCH STUFF! Clothes, books, decor, notebooks, shoes, kitchen stuff, etc. I have a plan to go through one room every weekend in January and February and get rid of all sorts of stuff. I know that there are plenty of things that I didn’t touch, look at, or think about in 2020, and I think that’s a pretty good sign I don’t need it! Clutter gives me serious anxiety and getting rid of it is a pretty simple solution. I’ll definitely be sharing this as I go! I am also going to not spend as much on decor and stuff for the home this year. I went a little wild for Christmas, and I need to take a step back to decide what I really want in our home. I am striving to make our home a peaceful, relaxing place to come home to. My plan is after I take the Christmas decor down, just let the room be bare for a while to decide what all I want to do. I don’t mind spending money on our home, I just want to make sure I’m not buying everything on an impulse which I am very guilty of doing.

There is plenty more that I could write about, but I didn’t want this to go on forever. Something that most of my intentions have in common is peace. I want to feel at peace in 2021. I want to grow and learn. I want to love myself and not give anyone else power over my emotions.

I’d love to hear your intentions for 2021! Share below if you feel comfortable. We can encourage each other!

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