15 Goals for 2015 and Year in Review

“I can change my patterns when I change my mind about them.”

-Gabrielle Bernstein

Before I jump into my goals for the new year, I want to review the 14 goals I made back at the start of 2014. I completely forgot about this list y’all! I wrote the post and carried on with with the year, hardly ever looking back, but the good news is that the intentions I set at the start of year didn’t leave me! I definitely made progress in all that was on my heart at the beginning of the year: growing this blog, solidifying its message, and working on myself. Here’s a look at how I did:

• Solidify my message and make plain what this blog is really about. It’s not about getting skinny for your wedding day or dieting or even paleo, but rather, about finding confidence and peace with your body! About learning to love and care for your body through all stages of life, including, during wedding planning and beyond!

This blog is always a work in progress but in 2014, I made some real progress solidifying my brand story and narrowing my niche. I rewrote my about page and shared more of my weight loss story. I also brought on other bloggers (a mom and bride) to relate to women in different stages of life. I’d love to hear your ideas on ways to improve the blog further. Hopefully you like all the changes you’ve seen so far!

• Be social about my blog! Post updates to Facebook and Instagram. Stop being shy about it; it’s nothing to be ashamed of! 

I’m still really struggling with this. I share a lot of updates on Instagram but not on Facebook and I really don’t know why… so many of my family members and friends have ASKED me to share more of myself and my blog on Facebook but I haven’t. To be completely honest, I think a big reason is because of the fear I have of other’s judgement. You know, it’s that small voice that says: What if my blog isn’t sophisticated enough? What if I misspelled something or wrote something really personal? What if they stumble on a broken link?  Silly, I know.

• Pitch to some major magazines. I’ve always dreamed of a little mention in Oxygen or the local express paper.

I finally pitched my story to Southern Weddings Magazine for their column called Southern Newlywed and I’m thrilled they sent a photographer to capture Aaron and me doing CrossFit (eep)! Our feature will be shared on the Southern Weddings’ blog this Friday, but before then I plan to share more behind-the-scenes photos with you. I still can’t believe this actually happened!

• Rebrand the Fit for a Bride logo. I want Joy to letter it!

I love my new logo lettered by Joy! I also love my new website! I finally feel like the blog looks and feels like me.

• Open a shop. The plan to is put our lovely new logo on t-shirts and tote bags, and send them to some of our real bride features!

I did put my logo on some tanks, package them, and send them to some of my favorite fit brides, but I’ve since changed my mind about opening a full-on shop. I think I’d like to do tank top “drops,” offering a limited number of unique tanks for a limited time. This will allow me to experiment with designs and not have keep an inventory. Details on the first drop soon!

• Publish Salad club, the ebook!

Womp womp! This still. hasn’t. happened. And I have no excuses. Perfectionism? Time to just let it go…

• Start my other e-books. I’m working on two: “Back, Bis & Tris, the Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Buff Bride” and “The Newlywed Guide to Cooking Unusual Foods.”

I’ve started but both have a long way to go, especially considering how long it’s taking me to get the Salad Club e-book done! Any suggestions on how to be more productive with these projects? I’m all ears!

• Build a better website. I want this site to be more inviting, more user friendly, and convey the FFAB manifesto plainly.

I love my website’s new look!

• Get. a. pull-up. Just one!

I’m kipping pull-ups now! Yay! It’s on my CrossFit list of goals to get a strict one this year, too.

• CrossFit more.

Speaking of CrossFit, I’m proud to say I’ve kept with it in 2014! There was the Open and some epic hero WODs. I love CrossFit and don’t plan to stop doing it anytime soon! 🙂

• Eat less sugar. Sugar is my nemesis.

I did this with the Whole30 and I plan to do it a lot more! Read my Whole30 recaps here.

• Get certified. This is a biggie.

So, another change of plans. When I first started this blog I wanted to become a personal trainer because I love encouraging people and love working out. I felt guilty for several months after missing my NASM exam and ditching my study materials, but then I realized I just don’t have the time to dedicate to this goal right now and that’s okay. Instead of starting a full-blown bootcamp I’ve since decided I’d like to host pop-up fitness classes. I’ll attend and encourage other attendees but I won’t be the instructor.

Lookout for 2015 pop-up class dates to be released soon!

• Seminar! Details on this later!

So, apparently 2014 was going to be the year I did it all! Haha. I’ve always wanted to host a seminar to encourage and connect women who are trying to live healthier. I’ve drafted a tentative agenda and looked into some meeting spaces but this isn’t an easy undertaking! Similar to my issue of free time with teaching fitness classes, this is something that will have to wait! I do think it’ll happen one day but it’s not a major priority right now.

• Read more. Read my Bible more, find more time for quiet, for painting, and for just being; and have less stuff.

I started going to Bible Study Fellowship in October and I really love it. It’s dedicated time once a week that I get to fellowship with other Christians and study the Bible. We’ve been reading Exodus and I’ve learned so much! I’ve also been so encouraged by the other ladies in my group and I’m looking forward to continuing the study in 2015.

And finally, my 15 goals for 2015: 

This year I don’t want to do it all.

I want to do less…

1. Less worrying if I’m not living up to a friend’s expectations, posting to the blog daily or making progress on one of my (many) business ideas.
2. Less self-consciousness. More confidence in who I am. More being me, unapologectically.
3. Less deflecting the compliments of others, especially when they’re dead-on with my strengths.
4. Less self-deprecation about what I should have done or said.
5. Less complaining. More contentment.
6. Less feeling self-conscious. Remember.
7. Less stupid fear and shyness about sharing my blog.
8. Less stress. Stress is another form of fear for me. Fear over the future and what others might think. If I could sum up this year’s goals it’s: Leave your fear behind.
9. Less procrastination. Get off social media and get sh*t done!
10. Less clothes. Keep with the capsule wardrobe. Stop saying “I need…”
11. Less comparison. Especially with other bloggers and entrepreneurs. It’s so easy to want to do what others are doing or have what it seems like they have when in reality: I have plenty and I’m doing a lot myself! Comparison is the thief of joy.
12. Less mindless spending. Less random purchases at Target and Starbucks. More purposeful spending.
13. More CrossFit. I celebrate my second year anniversary doing CrossFit this year, which is totally crazy cause it feels like I just started yesterday. This year I’m dabbling in a little competitive CrossFit. I’ll let you know how that goes!
14. More Whole30. I actually start my second Whole30 today so I have a jump-start on this goal!
15. More blogging… freely. I go back and forth about what kind of blog this is – a wedding blog? A fitness blog? A lifestyle blog? Whatever category it might be, it’s my blog at the end of the day, which means I shouldn’t be afraid to blog about my life! Lookout for more personal day-in-the-life posts this year!

I also want more Sundays spent at church, Monday nights at bible study and week nights doing CrossFit. More making our house a home (more decorating!), more romantic evenings with my husband, and more big smiles, which means wearing my retainer! Ha! 🙂

I created a 2015 vision board on Pinterest of my goals, too! (There’s also my 2013 and 2014 vision boards.)

Phew! That was a monster post! If you read all of that–thank you!

Now it’s your turn! 

What are some goals you accomplished (or didn’t) in 2014?

What are your goals for 2015?  

Photos by Pretty in Pic Photography.