resolutions for January : personal

I'm excited to announce that I'm starting a new blog series this year:

Monthly Resolutions!

Recently I was thinking about New Year's resolutions, and how depressing those can be.

At the beginning of the year we make a whole gigantic list of all these awesome things we want to accomplish,

and over the course of 12 months we think we can totally knock them all out, right?!

Well by the time November or December rolls around, though, we glance back at that list...

and realize how unrealistic some of those goals were, or feel discouraged by the things we didn't make happen.

Maybe you've felt this way, like I have?

Don't get me wrong--I think New Year's resolutions are great.

It really is good to think about the changes you want to make in your life.

After all, if you don't know where you want to go, then you won't take any steps to get there.

However, I think that for me personally, if I broke things down to a month instead of an entire year,

I would be able to accomplish a lot more, and it would help keep my goals more realistic.

So, I'm planning to blog my 'resolutions', (or goals), at the beginning of each month this year.

I know sometimes I may be super busy or gone traveling, but if possible I want this to happen each month for 2014.

It helps hold you accountable, and there is a lot of wisdom in sharing your goals with other people.

With all that said, here we go, January.

personal:

- Journal 4 times a week

I am seriously committed on this one..I failed miserably with it last year.

It really is important to chronicle the journey, and I want to make this a priority.
- Finish the Count of Monte Cristo

Yep, still have a ways to go with this. However to help me get this done I am going to...

- Read for 30 minutes on Tuesdays/Thursdays

A friend shared this idea with me awhile back..schedule only certain days of the week to be the days that you read on. Then you won't feel guilty for not reading every day of the week.

- Start and finish 1 other book

Probably, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World."

- Exercise 3x a week

And its currently a whopping 4 degrees outside. Yeah, we'll figure out something. :)

- Drink more water

Enough said.

- Finish memorizing 1 Thessalonians 2 and chapter 3.

Thankfully, I have a bunch of other friends who are memorizing Scripture passages

at the same time with me, which will help a ton! 

business:

- Finish up all my taxes / paperwork stuff

Does anyone enjoy this? There's always the not-so-fun-but-necessary parts of any business. :)
- Shoot 1-2 personal winter sessions

Pretty excited about these, people. Just waiting for some warm-ish winter days to come..

- Blog client gifts, behind-the-scenes, 2013 favorites, and many more sessions I haven't posted yet. 

I'm behind..trying to catch up!

- Design new pricing documents for 2014

I do this at the beginning of each year, and takes me some time, 

as I design them all using various favorite pictures I've taken, etc.

- Write out what worked/what didn't work

I did this last year, and I think I heard about it from Katelyn James.

You look back over the year and write out the things that worked for your business,
and the things that didn't go well so you can make changes for the coming year.

I also plan to post these goals up on my wall each month, so I don't forget about them.
What is something you want to accomplish in January? I'd love to hear!

Also, I had fun making a new header and changing a few other things here on the blog.

A new look for a new year seemed fitting! Hope you like it. :)

love,

~H. Elise

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