Happy New Year!

Those words have never flowed more freely from my mouth, because you guys, we made it through one of the most eventful, monumental, anxiety ridden years to date. And for that you deserve a big freaking pat on the back or a giant glass of wine!

Although 2020 was less than ideal and challenged us all in ways we couldn’t even imagine, it was actually one of the best years for me professionally and if I’m being honest, personally, too. I grew in ways I didn’t know I could, I adapted new + improved habits and I learned that I’m NOT great at sitting home and doing nothing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to sugar coat this one bit - this year was FU*KING hard. It challenged me to the core as a Mother, had me re-evaluating many relationships in my life and left me wondering if life as we knew it would ever go back to “normal”.

As I sit here typing this, I wish I could say the clock struck midnight on 12/31/21 and things just magically went back to the way they were before - WISHFUL THINKING.

I sat down and wrote out my 2021 intentions and at the top of my list was less complaining and more gratitude. We are so incredibly grateful to both have jobs, a roof over our heads, a loving home for our girls, great friends who have made this past year bearable and food on the table every night. It’s easy to get caught up in the logistics of everything and it’s really easy to focus on the negative. But instead, we need to see the silver lining in all of this and I for one can count them on both hands. I did a lot of complaining last year. A lot of consuming the wrong kind of news and media. And a lot of time worrying about things I simply can’t control. So what did 2020 teach me?

It taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to. That good things do come to those who wait - or work really hard, I’m not sure which one. And that manifestation is 100% real. It also taught me that I’m one bad-ass Mom, Wife, and Business Woman. Now I want you to think about all the incredible things that 2020 taught YOU. Write out 3 positive things about yourself that you feel make you a person that someone else would want to be friends with. And if you’re having a hard time thinking of any, give yourself some grace. It’s been one hell of a year for all of us. But what you can and should do is some serious reflecting. What was it in 2020 that didn’t work for you? What were the voids in your life? What were the things you enjoyed? And what are your intentions for 2021? Hopefully they don’t include any of the things that didn’t work for you last year and a lot more of the things that did! And hopefully they include some new and improved routines and methods that will really set you up to succeed in 2021. I’m sharing some of mine below in hopes they can help you get started with your 2021 intentions list!

my 2021 intentions

More gratitude. Like I said, one of them was to do a lot less complaining and a lot more reciting things I’m grateful for - this includes journaling and writing down how I’m feeling each day and why.
Spending a lot less time on social media. I listened to a podcast today that said if we spend one hour everyday of the 12 hours we are awake doing a mindless task (like scrolling on social media), at the end of the year we will have wasted an entire month! That was seriously eye opening and that hour I would spend every morning catching up on social media stops now. I also stopped watching the news several months ago. I’m not kidding. I literally don’t watch it. i get all my news from reliable articles and sources that keep me informed in the most realistic way.
Wake up earlier. In September, I decided to start waking up anywhere between 6 and 6:30 (I was previously getting up around 7:30 when the kids did) and I’ve stuck to it these past four months. After some reflecting and journaling I realized how much more productive I was by waking up earlier. So this year, I’m going to inch my way back to 5 or 5:30. Why? Because now I know when I start my day doing something for me rather than immediately giving into the needs of others I’m much more at peace. I also feel a sense of overwhelming accomplishment when I can check things off my to do list before the kids even wake up (a workout, clean out my inbox, a work task etc).
Manifestation journaling. I’ve always been a big believer in what you put out into the universe is what you get back. You know those people who are just lucky? The ones that always win the raffle giveaway or get that first parking spot? Do you really think they are lucky or do you think they believe they are going to win before it actually happens? Call me crazy, but there is something to it. 2020 was the year I planned to launch interior design for the Styled Out West brand. Well, thanks to the pandemic, clients starting coming to me out of nowhere and in my mind I had always talked about the business like it already existed. This can ring true for anything in our life and one of my goals is to not only write down things Im grateful for, but put pen to paper on things that I actually want to happen this year (stay tuned to see if they come true).
Surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you. Wes and I used to have something social on the calendar every weekend. It didn’t matter who you were or where it was. If we were invited, we were there. Sometimes this worked to our detriment because we over extended ourselves and felt guilty saying no. But looking back, it wasn’t quality time spent. What quarantine has taught me is that I need constant positivity in my life and surrounding myself with those who I can truly be myself around, who support me and who love me for me. Only we can determine our happiness, so surround yourself with those that bring you just that…joy!

Here’s a quote I found recently that really sums up how I feel about 2020.

“Please stop overthinking your life like you have to have an answer to every feeling or situation. That’s not how life works. We figure it all out just by living, by fucking up, by missing an opportunity, by seeking advice and not taking it. We learn what’s important and what isn’t. Sometimes we have no idea what to do and it’s scary, but it’s okay. Always trust your gut and know that everything will work out exactly the way it is supposed to be. It always does. Just relax. We were never in control anyway.” - Charlotte Freeman @momentaryhappiness

So, what are you going to do this year to set yourself up for the best year ever? Because let’s be honest, can things really get any worse? We are so much better prepared for what’s potentially to come and we have the resources to know how to handle it. The real test is how you will stand out from the crowd and make this YOUR best year yet. I’m rooting you on every step of the way!

Much love to you all and cheers to a great year ahead!