I sat down to write this post so many times, and almost skipped writing it altogether (like I did last year, though that was unintentional). But here’s the thing— I believe in the power of speaking dreams into reality. Writing down goals and plans increase one’s likelihood to complete them, and they provide a metric for measuring success.

I didn’t publicly share my 2018 Goals, but when I read back over them last week, I realized that I achieved every single thing I wrote down. How crazy is that???

I wrote a little recap of our year in our Christmas post, but suffice it to say that 2018 was a crazy year for us. As I spent time last week looking back over a year’s worth of journal entries, goals, planning worksheets, and schedules, I was completely overwhelmed by just how much I accomplished last year. I’m just so proud and humbled by all that we did in 2018, both personally and professionally.

The crazy thing, though, is that I spent the majority of the year complaining. Most mornings I woke up and rolled over with a groan and a pout, and ended most evenings recounting all the things that didn’t go my way, all the things I failed to accomplish. And when people asked “How are you?” during the days, my response was largely negative, focused on all the obstacles we faced. Life felt hard (and for real, valid reasons), even if good things were happening. The phrase “I CAN’T” sat on my lips far more often than I care to admit, I cried far more often than I care to admit, and my family felt the weight of this mindset more than I care to admit.

Looking back over journal entries and etc, I can see my complaints were mostly mindset, not truth. The good news is that I know how to change mindsets! And knowing last year’s struggle has me I’m SO excited to see what this year will bring, and how much “I CAN.” And this brings me to my 2019 goals.

Scripture for the year:

“The [boundary] lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” — Psalm 16:6. 

2019 Goals : Personal

Word for the year: NOURISH

Nourish my body, nourish my mind, nourish my soul— so that I am equipped to nourish others. I want my words to give life to those around me. I want to fiercely guard my mind, emotions, and body. I want to make healthy choices about what goes in my mouth, my ears, and my eyes, and teach my children to do the same.

Goals:

• Start and end each day with a prayer of thanksgiving— work to “breathe in and out” prayers of thanks as a habit.
• Figure out how to fit in fitness as a joyful habit.
  • Get outside every day
  • Goal: lose ALL baby weight within calendar year, and be in the best shape of my life by Christmas.
  • Build up our home gym
• Focus on simple meals
  • Lean proteins and nourishing vegetables for most meals
  • Focus on NUTRITION, not just my mouth’s cravings
• Do fewer structured Bible studies and spend more time meditating on God’s Word
  • Print and post Scripture throughout our home
  • Memorize Scripture weekly
• Fuel my mind
  • Read 60 books in the calendar year
  • Start and end days off-screen
  • Don’t stream TV or movies while working
• SLOW DOWN
  • Remember, you will have an infant all year long. Set expectations accordingly.
  • Take a 2-week vacation in South Carolina in August
  • Take time off for the holidays in December
  • Take monthly “mental health days”
• Build friendships with women outside of work— particularly women who are different than I am
• Grow recreational hobbies
  • Exercise
  • Calligraphy

2019 Goals : Business

Word for the year: RESTRAINT

Slow down, and do the BEST things, instead of all the things. Focus on simple significance. Capture only what is PRIMARY. Crop in more. Slow down. Make every image count. Make every dollar count. Make every every moment count. 

Goals:

• Break the email inbox addiction.
• Again, remember, you will have an infant all year long
  • Accept my boundaries with joy instead of trying to find ways to work around them
  • Be willing to say “no” to work opportunities that undermine my family this year
• SLOW DOWN
  • Take fewer photographs, but make each one mean something.
  • Tighter crops, less “context.” Shoot with “less is more” in mind.
  • Put the 85mm on my camera more often
  • Play around with film for personal work
• DREAM BIG FOR 2020
  • Book a 2020 wedding in Greece
  • Plan a 2020 trip to France for personal & artistic development
  • Plan to attend at least one educational workshop in 2020
• Take advantage of the educational resources I have at my fingertips, TODAY
  • Watch all the CreativeLive courses I’ve purchased
  • Read, read, read
  • Continue coaching
• Grow my artistic vision
  • Visit the National Gallery of Art once per month
  • Plan & execute four Color Theory shoots in 2019
  • Spend time refining my skills with off-camera lighting and studio work
• Fight comparison
  • Take social media breaks
  • Make “Good for her! Not for me.” my mantra
  • Affirm and compliment wherever I find opportunity. Be the biggest cheerleader in the DC wedding world.
  • Rewrite my definition of success as often as needed
• Pour into others… as I am able
  • Open up coaching slots after maternity leave
  • Get the newsletter going
  • Take every opportunity to help and answer questions
• DREAM LIST
  • Shoot an Elopement or Engagement session in Palm Springs, CA
  • Shoot an Elopement or Engagement session in Charleston, SC
  • See my Color Theory editorials published
  • Shoot a wedding at the DAR
  • Shoot a wedding at Anderson House

Here’s to 2019— may it be the best, most joyful, most humble, most intentional year yet!