Goals for 2016

Goals for 2016

Resolutions are out - goals are in! First of all, how is it 2016? Because no. It can't be. I just graduated high school in 2000 like, yesterday.

HOW ARE JUSTIN AND BRITNEY STILL NOT AN ITEM AND WHERE DID MY CHUNKY HIGHLIGHTS AND PINK PAGER GO?

Hashtag moment of silence for the fads of 2000.

I suppose at some point I have to put on my big girl skinny jeans and grow up so let's declare this that moment. Grown ups do things like pay the bills, set goals, and go grocery shopping and enjoy it.

Yes, being a grown up is boring, but I like it. Boring is safe! However, this is not a good motto to live by. That is why I set pretty gigantic goals this year and I'm a little concerned about reaching them all but that is okay! Having a goal at least gives me something to work toward, and the work is what matters.

2016 Goals

• Pay of $18,000 in debt
• Create a healthy morning routine
• Walk 500 miles
• Have all income tax info prepped and ready to send on 2/1
• Create photo yearbooks for the McLains
• Grow Your Texas is Showing
• Blog 10-12 times each month
• Make some local friends

Pay of $18,000 in debt

We are well on our way to making this goal and exceeding it! You can see our budget update here. We have already paid off nearly 1/4 of this amount in one month!

Create a healthy morning routine

What is a healthy morning routine? For me it is starting my day off in a positive way, as nutritionally healthy as possible, and something that I can do without thinking. I've started drinking 18-24 oz. of water first thing in the morning, putting on my workout clothes to take Jett to school so I have no excuse but to walk when I get back, getting all my tedious work tasks done before my day starts, and having a healthy, filling breakfast. I've been doing this for about 2 weeks, and so far so good!

Walk 500 miles

Not gonna lie - I'm sucking this one up folks. I have walked once this year and it was about 3 miles. The first two weeks after the holidays are pretty tough for me work-wise and I have to concentrate on getting through those and making sure I've got myself set for the rest of the year by helping my clients get planned out for the year. I keep saying, "I'll start walking when things slow down next week" and so far that excuse has gotten me in to week three of January. The last week is going to be different!

Have all tax info prepped by 1/31 and sent on 2/1

Last year I completely spaced on our taxes (I KNOW RIGHT) and sent them all in on April 10th. We had to file an extension and our accountant did not file them until October 15th. UGH! Not happening this year!!!! No way. I've already marked off an entire day in my new planner to dedicate to getting all of our receipts and information together. so that as soon as I get all my 1099s I'll be ready to send it all in.

Create photo yearbooks for the McLains

Why did we all collectively stop printing our photos? WHY? It was a dumb idea. I have boxes of photos from high school and we LOVE to go through them every once in a while and reminisce. Now we just scroll mindlessly through Instagram and look at other people's photos. I don't like it anymore. I also had a pretty serious scare in December where i thought I was going to lose all the files on my computer (Praise Jesus I did not!) and that spurred me on to make photo books and get the files "backed up" so to speak in print and not just digitally. I plan to do one a month with as many photos as I can find on my computer!

Grow Your Texas is Showing

Sadly, our million dollar idea of 2015 has screeched to a halt and it is because I don't take the time have the time to invest in it. It makes me sad and I don't know if I really want to keep it going but I feel like I have to. Do you ever get that feeling? We have invested so much into it already and we are even working on the trademark, so I feel like I literally have to. But part of me wants to just give it all up. But that was 2000 Skye, and now I have to be grown-up 2016 Skye and put on my big girl skinny jeans and, as Tim Gunn used to say, "make it work." By "grow Your Texas is Showing™" here is waht I mean:

• Increase to 20K Instagram Followers by 12/31
• $10,000 in sales this year
• Available in 3-4 boutiques
• Keep books organized all year

Just short of impossible but I'm going to make it happen.

Blog 10-12 times each month.

So far, so good! I don't have plans to stop either and I'm working on making it easier for myself by planning things out far in advance, coordinating photo shoots to include shots of a million different blog post ideas so I'm not hauling out my equipment every few days, and keeping a running list of blog post ideas.

Make some local friends

Did you know when you work from home and only leave the house to go to church, your friends start to all live in your phone? Don't get me wrong, I love those friends and truly value their friendships!! But there is really something important about having coffee with an actual person, rather than skyping with a friend who lives 1000 miles away at a Starbucks. Besides just being weird, it is not a great way to really connect with people

Both fortunately and unfortunately, I get a built in network with my husband's job at the church. I'm immediately in with a few people here and there, and while that is great, it is very important for a pastor's wife to have friends who are outside that social networking circle. But, nevertheless, it is a great place to start. So I've signed up for a bible study specific to new women in the area, we are taking Financial Peace University, and I've also gotten involved with a group of local bloggers (which I am giddy excited about!!!)

What are some of your goals this year?

Many thanks to Rekita Nicole for the gorgeous stock photos! Sign up for her newsletter and get access to her library of colorful photos that are perfect for blog posts!