Last week I celebrated my 26th birthday! I can't believe I'm closer to 30 now than to 20. In my mind I still feel like I'm 21 and in college, anyone else feel this way? Time flies.
Kenneth brought me breakfast in bed with my favorite breakfast items, waffles with whipped cream & fruit, Chick-fil-a chicken minis and doughnuts, YUM! You have to love how he designed it all haha, flowers and a doughnut sun (and he says I'm the creative one??).
Then I watched The Bachelor - I would really love if my birthday aligned with new episodes of The Bachelor every year. Afterwards we headed to north Georgia to see a waterfall that's been on my Georgia bucket list for awhile and it far exceeded my expectations. And as a bonus, because it's been so cold here, there was a huge pile of snow at the base of the waterfall! Harley was SO happy which makes me so happy!
You can't tell from the photos, but the pile of snow was actually pretty tall. When I was near the top and I was walking down, my foot fell through the snow and went all the way to my knee! I had a minute of panic thinking I was about to fall through all of the snow and Kenneth got a good laugh because he thought I just fell on my butt haha.
Such a pretty waterfall!!
That night we had dinner with my mom and then we all went to see The Greatest Showman (FINALLY). I loved it so much! It brought me back to the good days of High School Musical haha. Also, who knew Michelle Williams could sing?! Any Dawson's Creek fans out there? Guilty haha.
Because my birthday is so close to the new year, I always start my resolutions after my birthday. I've loved reading other people's resolutions because it gets me thinking and inspires me.
Kenneth & I have a tradition to go to Cheesecake Factory every January 1st and we grab a big slice of cheesecake and write down our resolutions. We actually write them down on the napkin and it's one of my favorite traditions with him. Plus it's fun to look back on all the napkins/resolutions we have from the years.
So here are a few of my goals and hopes for 2018
I really want to prioritize my health this year. Some years are better than others and while 2016 was a great year for my health & fitness goals, 2017 was not. So it's time to get back on track for 2018! Obviously my fitness and working out is at the top of the list, but my overall health also includes taking better care of my skin, hair & even teeth! About half way through 2017 I committed to being better about actually using sunscreen. And while I hate it because I'm so pale and I look like a ghost, I know it's good for you so I'm going to try and commit to sunscreen all year long. Can anyone recommend good self tanners?
Read more & listen to uplifting podcasts. It was a goal of mine to read more in 2017 because I am not a reader. Still not a reader, but I've jumped on board with audiobooks and I loved it. I love getting outside, walking Harley and listening to a good book. It puts me in a better mood and uplifts me. I'm really late to the podcast bandwagon but I just listened to a few this past week and I've loved them so I'm adding that to the list as well!
Prioritizing dates and service for Kenneth. I'm the worst at thinking a date needs to be some elaborate thing but I really want to simplify it and prioritize little dates with Kenneth. Some of the best advice we were given when we got married was to always date your spouse and I think it's so true. Whenever Kenneth does something nice for me, something simple like running to the grocery store to get me ice cream, it makes me so unbelievably grateful and happy. I want to be better about doing the same for Kenneth and just being a better wife.
Documenting more memories. I really want to blog more. It's the only form of journaling I have and Kenneth and I love going back and reading my old blog posts because it reminds us of so many fun memories. Instagram is great too, but I love that in blogging there isn't a like button and it feels like this space is more for just me.
My motto for 2018 is to "Be My Best Self". I have tons of goals and dreams but at the end of the day, I really just want to be my best self. I want to make sure that the choices I'm making are making me happy. It's hard to put this goal into words. But basically I want to be my best self when it comes to being the best wife I can be, being the best friend I can be, sister, aunt, athlete, daughter, artist, etc. That makes it sound like I'm expecting myself to be 100% amazing at everything and anything I do and that is definitely NOT what I mean haha. I know that I'm happier when my room is cleaned, or when I've worked out, or when I've gone on a long walk with Harley, or when I've done something nice for Kenneth, or when I've remembered to call my niece on her birthday. My point is to try and do the things that will make me happy. My best self is a happy one and so I guess for 2018 I just want to focus on the happy.
There's no need for any added negativity in a world filled with it. So I just want to embrace the good and the best. If there's a friendship that is dragging you down, ditch it! If you'll feel better by taking an hour to yourself, then take that time! If you find yourself feeling worse after scrolling through your Instagram feed, then unfollow the accounts that make you feel that way. If you're unhappy with your day, or your week, or your life, change it! I've been placed in some crappy situations and sometimes you don't have control over what happens to you. But there are so many things in life that you have 100% control of, so control them! Make the changes necessary to bring you more happiness.
I don't feel like I'm accurately explaining what I mean by all so if you've made it through all my rambling, my hats off to you haha. But basically I just want to be happy (who doesn't?) and so I want to make the changes necessary to find more happiness and embrace all the good life has to offer.
I have more resolutions written down and some that Kenneth & I wrote together. One of ours is to visit a new country this year. 2018 is so up in the air for us so it's exciting to write down these dreams and crossing our fingers we can accomplish them! We don't have plans for anything right now since we're both in a stage of figuring out our careers, but I'm trying to look at this time of uncertainty with excitement and embrace the unknown.
Wishing you all a happy new year! 2018 is going to be a great year!
xo, Lo
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