The New Year is always a time to look back and reflect. I try not to make resolutions as I believe making change can happen any time of year. New day, new week, new month etc. If you fail, pick yourself up and start again. Since I turned 40 I find I am starting over more often. Wiping the slate clean and reflecting on my past. I have no regrets but I do wish some things were done differently. I wish I did not waste time on those who do not matter. I wish I did not allow people to get into my head and cause chaos. I wish I listened to those who whispered their wisdom in my ear trying to help me learn without making the same mistakes they did. But there is not much that can be done about the past. All we can do is live in the now and plan to move forward.
People we thought were friends quickly chatter about us for whatever reason.
Promises are broken.
Loyalties lost.
Sometimes you evolve and grow apart.
Sometimes people are not what they seem.
other times, things just change.
Life changes.
I could get angry or upset but all it will do is affect me and my life. So why waste the time?
This year I want to focus on positive. Positive people. Supportive friends. Positive ideas and situations. Self preservation. I feel like I am missing engaging with my community. I feel like I have somewhere lost focus on what I want and need. I want to write more posts from the heart. Speak my mind and connect with that one person who may get where I am coming from.
I am continuing my healthy journey even after a few set backs. Dedicating more time to me and my family. Mental health and physical health are on the top of my priority list this year. I have seen so many have their lives turned upside down too fast to do anything else. I want to build meaningful relationships. I rather have a few close friends who will always be there for me than a bunch of flakes who will talk about me behind my back. I want to matter and have people who matter in my life. I want experiences. I get that I am all over the place in this post. But when you write from the heart, that is what happens. You throw grammar out the window and just pour your heart and soul out.
This year I am setting realistic goals for myself and my blog. I am going back to basics and reconnecting with my readers. I want to explore more of what interests me. Traveling, living life to the fullest and celebrating the small things are on my to-do list. I want to laugh more and feel better in my skin. So if that means telling some people I can no longer have them in my life, then that is what needs to happen.
We only have one life.
We are each on our own individual journey .
We can choose to do our own thing or to follow the crowd.
I have never been much of a follower so I assume some will not get my train of thought. I know this has been said before by others. But to really get it, you need to get to a point in your life where you realize what matters to you. I am at that point.
When it comes to work, I want to focus on opportunities that fit my life and my family. I did not want to waste my time or breathe on work relationships that are not going anywhere. I am not worried about what others do or what others charge. I need to do what is right for me. I am happy with a handful of repeat clients who help me build our relationship. Working with the same brands over and over allows me to share different angles, different themes and be more intimate that the clients who just want to be one offs. The relationship with the brand is just as important as the relationship with the readers. There needs to be a true fit. I may lose some work being more selective, but that is a chance I am willing to take. When we as bloggers all post the same things and nothing really fits the blogs we read or the brands we work with, it just becomes noise. Clutter. It is spammy and feels off.
I started my blog to share my thoughts and opinions. I started worrying about what was popular and what was trendy. Somewhere along the way I feel like I lost my initial plan. I started to worry about the latest platform, the busiest network and ad revenue. I want to focus more on what I love and hope everything else will fall into place.
I see people talking about their word of the year. I see resolutions. For me I am thinking about focus. Focus on family,. Focus on me. Focus on health and focus on being true to myself. This includes my work and my friendships.
I have no time for high school. I have no time for gossip. I want to support those who support me. I want to live my best life. I am scared that one day I will blink and another 20 years will be gone with no changes. I am excited to see where 2018 takes me!
What are you thinking about right now? Do you find you reflect when there is a new year?
Great post. After years of learning, I’ve finally realized its okay to follow my own path and not worry about the masses. I too am looking forward to what 2018 brings!
I love hearing about the mental and phsyical health aspect. Im doing the same. Im trying to strive for more balance.
I find reflecting on the year as it comes to a close to be both healthy and vital. I try to take the negative points and twist them into something positive for the year ahead, for example, I feel I said yes too much in 2017, so one of my goals for 2018 is to not be afraid to tell others no more often!
I love this post! I too have gone through some bumps in the road and realized sometimes its not worth my time to get upset over it. I vowed to myself at some point last year that positivity is key. My mental health has taken a turn for the better without the drama and black clouds of other people.
During the first week of the year, I always try to find some quiet time to look back on the year that passed. What were the lessons I learned? Did I grow? Did I help others in need? I ask myself so many questions and from the questions that got a “no” or “sometimes” response, those are the things I work on in the present year.
Beautiful beautiful post! And yes, I always take time to reflect. 2017 wasn’t my favorite year, that’s for sure. For many reasons. So I’m excited about 2018! Bring it on!
I spent way too long worrying about what others (might) think of me. I am now living life to the fullest doing what I want (and God is telling me to do).
Ahhhhhhh never worry about what others think! That’s somethingI learned years ago! Once you master that, you’re golden
Well said! I think I will enjoy reading your post this year as I am feeling the same. Pleased with you honesty. And 40 is still young 🙂