2017 Resolutions

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As we get ready to go into 2017, I look back on this past year and truly think that it has been one of the best yet. Though there have been a lot of challenges, there has also been so much joy and I think this was the year that I really focused on what is important. Instead of harping on all of the areas in my life I wish I could change or want to change, I focused on my many MANY blessings. I think practicing positivity and patience was my mantra this year and I hope to carry that into all the years to come. One thing I know for sure is that 2017 will surely top all other years because I am marrying my best friend in April. Without further ado, jumping into my resolutions for 2017:

Personal Resolutions

1.) Stay calm and collected as the wedding approaches. I know myself and I have a tendency to let my stress get out of hand. I just need to tell myself that things can and will go wrong but all that matters at the end of the day is that I'm marrying Steven surrounded by friends and family!
2.) Be a kick-butt wife! Aside from the wedding, 2017 is going to be a huge year for Steven as he approaches graduating his PhD program in the winter. I know he will be under so much pressure so I just want to be a source for support. With graduation, he'll obviously begin the job search and honestly, that could land us anywhere in the country. I'm staying totally open to all possibilities because I want him to have the best career opportunity no matter where the location.
3.) TRAVEL. There have been a few obstacles for Steven and I to travel a lot in the past few years. The first being his schedule with school. Though he doesn't graduate until winter, he'll be done with classes after the spring so we're both hoping to travel a lot more between 2017 and 2018. The other obstacle has been my fear of flying. Even though it still gives me anxiety when I think about air travel, I feel like my trip to California this year REALLY helped me feel more confident about longer flights. We are planning a London/Scotland trip either in fall or winter and we also really want to plan a tropical trip AND a ski trip.
4.) Focus on mental & physical health. I really want to work on coping better with anxiety which is something that I haven't discussed at all on the blog before but it's been a struggle for the last 6 or 7 years. Whether that means finding more natural remedies or talking to a third party, that needs to become a priority for me. I also have been SO into health and fitness towards the later half of this year so I want to definitely carry that into 2017. I feel like I have a pretty good "diet" routine going and with that I am seeing more results at the gym! Not to mention, working out has definitely helped a ton with anxiety and stress. 

5.)  Take the leap and pursue happiness. What I mean by this is that with Steven being in school and also with wedding planning I haven't really been able to pursue certain passions of mine. To be more specific, I'm hoping to take a few graphic design courses next year and we will see where that takes me!

Blog Resolutions
1.) Focus on my brand. This sort of goes hand in hand with number 5 but I have seen my blog grow in such a positive direction over the last year. I'll be the first to admit that one area I really need to improve on is social media. For the first year of my blog, I hardly posted at all on Instagram so that was something I really REALLY worked on this year! I'm hoping to continue outreach with social media, create a media kit this year, and also I really want to explore other platforms. This leads me into #2.
2.) Create video content. This was on my resolutions list last year and unfortunately, this is one resolution I definitely didn't fulfill. The first half of the year we were in our apartment which had NO good filming space and then we were getting settled into the house while wedding planning really kicked into high gear. No more excuses though--I'm hoping to try to film my first video this weekend! Not sure how long editing will take since I have rarely used any video editing software but look out for it sometime in January! Goal is to post a video once a month to start.

I just want to thank you all again for supporting Rosy Outlook and for stopping by my little space on the internet. This blog has been such a bright spot in my life for the last year and a half and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. I'm always so open to feedback and would love to hear any suggestions you have to help improve my blog content! Hope you guys have an awesome New Year's and I'll see you in 2017!