Hello! Welcome back to the blog. We’re officially one week into 2021 and I’m pretty sure 2020 just went home and changed her wig to try and fool us. I’ve been seeing some crazy memes and even just insane news stories floating around out there, so I feel for everyone feeling overwhelmed already in the new year. I’ve mentioned several times that I don’t discuss my political views here on the blog or social media, and even with very few people in person, so I won’t be talking much about the presidential election, the politics surrounding Covid and the vaccine, or whatever it was that happened at the Capitol a few days ago, because my opinions on those things are mine and I don’t need to add them into the madness that is surrounding all those topics. I once read a quote that I really liked, and the gist of it is that everyone has the right to their own opinions. You don’t have to like, agree, or respect those opinions, but you do have to respect a person’s right to have them.
All of that to say, don’t @ me about not caring about the current happenings in our country, because I do care about them, but we all need a break from the constant bombardment and I like to try to provide that to everyone! Now, carrying on.
My Goals for 2021
As I’ve mentioned previously, I like to set goals for the new year versus resolutions. I don’t know why exactly, but setting a goal to achieve feels a little more steadfast than saying “I’m doing x, y, and z” and then not hitting that point or immediately breaking the resolution. Any rate, I like the term goals over resolutions, so that’s what I’m going with!
I try to break my goals down into categories and then mini-goals. Setting big goals and then breaking them into smaller chunks is proven to be easier to stick with than having one big, daunting task ahead. Also, then you can check mark more things off to help you view your progress on the way to your big end goal, which is very encouraging. Instead of seeing how far you have to go and how much you have to do, you see all the things you accomplished on the way. So, with all that being said, here are my big goals, and the mini-goals and steps I plan on taking to achieve them.
Health Goals
Every year, my goal is to get healthier. I have a hard time with willpower and motivation, but I have at times, proven to myself that I am capable of setting goals and achieving them. It’s not some flat, arbitrary goal of losing weight or running a marathon, but more all-encompassing, like take healthy lunches to work, drink more water, and really focus on making my health a priority. I’ve talked a bit about having autoimmune hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s) and some of my struggles with that, so my health goals this year are:
- Drink more water-I’m constantly dehydrated (most people are) and when I’m staying on top of my water intake, I can tell a huge difference. I have more energy, I’m not as fatigued, and my skin looks and feels much better (chronic dry skin is a fun symptom of Hashimoto’s!). My aim is to drink at least 120 ounces of water a day and to cut back on my caffeine intake. I tend to drink too much and then when I don’t have it, I get splitting headaches from withdraws.
- Really establish a fitness routine-Seriously, this is another one that gets tacked on the list every year. I know what I like to do (hiking, running, yoga, cycling, and kayaking) but I simply do not make the time for myself to do these things. The lure of the couch cushion is strong. Add in the strong guilt I feel when I know I have a pile of laundry or dishes to do sitting at home and it makes it even harder. So, to help myself make time, I’m focusing on keeping up with the chores and also letting go of the guilt that gets in the way when I take a little time for myself.
- Decrease the gluten and increase the veggies-I’ve read many things saying that cutting out gluten can be beneficial to those who suffer from autoimmune disorders. I cut it out about a year ago for a few months and saw some good changes in my skin but didn’t do it long enough to see a ton of results. Also, I love vegetables but don’t eat enough and when I do buy them I tend to forget about them and then they go to waste. So to combat both these things, menu planning is a must! I’ll be working with monthly/weekly menu planning throughout the year.
Lifestyle Goals
Lifestyle goals are the category that I put my goals in when they don’t quite hit one of my other categories. They aren’t specifically geared to health, finance, blogging, etc. So I put them here.
- Better utilize my relationship with the outdoors-I love the outdoors, and the few times I got out this year reminded me just how much. Especially camping and fishing! I want to take better advantage of nature and my time outside. I barely managed to hunt last year, and only biked and kayaked a few times. I hiked exactly zero times and I missed it! I’m looking forward to exploring the outdoors more, and plan on making time to actually get out and experience nature more often, especially once it gets a little warmer and the sun stays out longer.
- Be a better dog owner-I have three dogs, and sometimes I feel like I don’t do a very good job of being a good dog parent. While one of my pups is much older (14!) the other two are quite young still and could benefit from more interaction besides lazily tossing the ball from the sofa. I plan to spend a bit more time with training and using them to help get me outside more often!
- Be more proactive for myself-I’m just like everyone else. I have a hard time saying no to people and things. I will oftentimes forgo things I want to do, to do things for others. It can be draining, especially when people take advantage of you or don’t offer the same courtesies that you give them. So I want to work on saying no more and staying true to myself.
Blogging Goals
Yes, I try to make some goals for this little internet space!
- Blog at least 10 times a month-I truly enjoy writing! Sometimes it gets a little difficult to come up with topics or it feels a little wrong to blog during particularly heaving and distressing times (like most of last year), but I like I said early, I want to make this space a place for you to come to get a break from all the craziness in the world. So I’ve been working on brainstorming content ideas and making lists in order to get these posts up for you.
- Be more active on social media-This one is particularly difficult. I still feel awkward having conversations with my phone, and sometimes I just forget to film or photograph anything happening around me.So my goals for this year are to try and do more stories and posts on Instagram, and also branch out a little into Youtube.
Financial/Business Goals
Lastly, I have a few financial and business goals. As you know, I have my little Etsy shop, Antler & Bow and I want to grow that on top of other goals.
- Grow my Etsy shop-I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head of things I want to add to my shop! I’ve already had a few orders in the new year, and I’m hoping that momentum carries through the rest of the year. If you are looking for vinyl decals, let me know!
- Pay off debts and save-Like most people, I have debts that I would love to see paid off. I plan on working on budgeting better and making smarter money moves.
- Get organized-I feel like this could go both under financial and lifestyle because for all the Virgo/Type A tendencies I have, I’m a hot mess most of the time! I started working last year to get my office/workroom organized, so I have that on my list of things to finish up, as well as organizing several other areas in the house to make them function better. I need to take the time to focus on organizing my financials so that I can keep track of everything and don’t have to go scrambling for figures when it comes time to do taxes!
So there you have my 2021 goals. I will try to check in with them through the year, and let you know how I’m doing. Let me know if the comments below what some of your goals or resolutions are for the new year!
As always, to stay updated when the latest post hit the blog, sign up for my newsletter below, and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
