I'm Fixin' To: 2014 Resolutions

2014 is a big year both individually and as a couple for DG & me. At the beginning of December, we sat down and made a list of goals that we wanted to accomplish for the upcoming year. Additionally, I made a list of goals for myself that I wanted to accomplish. I don't necessarily like the idea of a resolution because I feel that I never actually follow through. However, goals that DG and I can hold each other accountable for are generally accomplished. For this post, I am not going to share our goals as a couple but I will share my individual goals.

It's been a goal of mine for the past year and a half to learn calligraphy, but when I tried teaching myself through a book, I was super unsuccessful. I addressed our Save the Dates using a Flair pen and my own handwriting, and received several compliments. A friend suggested I learn calligraphy because she thought I would do really well, and it resurfaced my thoughts on taking a course. I heard really great things from a friend about Melissa Esplin's I Still Love Calligraphy course, so I signed up the day after Christmas and ordered my supplies. I'm waiting for my supplies to arrive so I can start my course!

I've tried this before and failed miserably because I always had an excuse for why I bought something. I do have an exception to this goal; since I'll be closing in on the wedding, there will be things I'll be purchasing for the wedding. This does eliminate shopping for every day clothes, nail polish (which is my weakness), and anything else that isn't justified.

I started a monthly meal plan back in June and I have really enjoyed it. It has made grocery shopping easier [and cheaper!] and meals are healthier. I rarely deviate from the meal plan because I've spent money on the food in my fridge and I certainly don't want it to go to waste. I thought since I was so successful with the meal plan, I should create a monthly/weekly cleaning plan that I will stick to as well. I have a tendency to clutter up and then go on huge cleaning sprees. I think creating a cleaning plan will eliminate some stress in my life.

I have tried creating budgets before and also failed miserably at that. So, this year, I have a template that I found and I think it will help me do a better job. My biggest problem is not knowing where my money goes at the end of the month. With my new budget, I will be able to see where my money goes and now I know where I can cut back in the future months. I'm not gonna lie, this is the one goal I am dreading.

I've said it before, but Pinterest is the best/worst thing that ever happened to my wedding planning. Blogs, Etsy shops, Pinterest, inspiration boards, magazines... they're all overwhelming. Now that I'm getting down to the final months, I feel I need to start weeding out some of the ideas that just won't work with the venue and the concepts that DG and I have been working on. I feel that this will eliminate a lot of stress.

I've heard so many great things about the Rock 'n' Roll series from other cities, so when it announced it was coming to Raleigh, I decided I needed to participate. This will be my 4th half marathon and I was pretty pissed at myself that I didn't run the Bull City half marathon in under 2:00 hours.

Be on the look out for a new blog design. I gave myself a "To Me, Love Me" Christmas/birthday gift of a camera so I could take better pictures. The problem is, I sometimes forget to bring it because I'm so accustomed to using my phone. There are a few other changes coming as well, so I can't wait for feedback.

11. Wear lipstick.

I love experimenting with make-up. My favorite way to experiment is with eye shadow, eye liner, and mascara... but I've never worn lipstick. Ever. One of my friends has started wearing red lipstick on occasion and looks amazing. Some of my favorite bloggers instagram great pictures of them in lipstick, and I'm so jealous. So, I'm going to step out of my comfort zone and wear lipstick. Maybe my first time will be on my 27th birthday (which is January 12).

12. Be positive.

I have a tendency to get dragged down when I'm around negative energy. I was cleaning out some old text messages from my phone, and I realized that deleting conversations that I was holding on to for negative reasons made me instantly feel better. It was a really small act that went a really long way for my mood. So, recently, I've adopted a mentality to just move on from things and I have felt so much better. I want to continue that mindset throughout 2014 and see just how much stress I can eliminate from my life. I'm sure all my friends will be really appreciative!