Happy New Year! I know we say this every year, but 2016 flew by! To quote Charles Dickens – “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” We lost some wonderful celebrities, and we watched our world react to the refugee crisis, the election, and too many careless deaths. But 2016 also gave us the popularity of Hamilton, something about Lemonade, many babies born and announced among my friends, and countless other accomplishments.
For me, there were lots of good things in 2016. (The photo above shows my nine most popular Instagram posts of the year. You all really liked my Thailand trip!) I strived to be connected, inspired, and grateful, and accomplished 10 out of 15 of my 2016 goals. Here are some of the things that made 2016 shine for me:
- Read 12 books.
- Hosted 12 parties, including a baby shower, Shellfishapalooza, and a holiday brunch.
- Traveled to Costa Rica, Fredericksburg, Charleston, San Antonio, Houston, and Thailand.
- Completed a Whole30 Challenge.
- Went to the R3 Summit and learned all about how to improve my health.
- Partnered with Dove, Ozarka, Austin’s Pizza, and HEB for blog and social media content.
- Completed all the coursework for my Advanced Open Water Scuba Diving Certification. Only two more dives before officially getting it.
- Signed my first self-procured social media client.
- Created new videos for my YouTube channel: Spain and Greece.
- Tried virtual reality games – it was so cool!
- Stayed in 13 hotels.
- Drank lots of beer, including hosting our own brewery crawl.
- Survived a weekend at the Austin City Limits Festival and saw Mumford and Sons and Willie Nelson, among others.
- Saw Ellie Goulding, Randy Rogers Band, and Turnpike Troubadours in concert.
- Sparked my exercise routine by visiting many workout studios around town. Tried aerial silks, boxing, Crossfit, and rowing.
- Took creative classes, including watercoloring, Make It Sweet, and shibori.
- Endured the tough UT football season but loved football season overall.
- Co-hosted two ATXBloggerMixer events with my friend Jesse.
- Celebrated the graduation of my Little Sister of Big Brothers Big Sisters. (We’ve been matched for 5 years!)
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Completed a 12 item cooking/baking list (things I’ve never made before) – many during my Whole30 Challenge.
- Visited 12 new restaurants/coffee shops – This goal was too easy. I definitely exceeded it!
- Indulged at many amazing restaurants, including Barley Swine, Nahm, Oxheart, Mixtli, Husk, FIG, Emmer & Rye, Launderette, Dee Dee, L’Oca d’Oro, and VOX Table.
- Ran 8K, 10-mile, and half-marathon races.
- Met and got to know so many wonderful bloggers in Austin!
- Published 98 blog posts on Fearless Captivations.
In 2017, I want to be abundant. I want life to be overflowing of good things so that I can pass along abundance to others. To be abundant, I want to connect with friends and family, to show compassion, and to challenge my skills. This is the year to dream bigger and do more. Here are some of the goals I want to accomplish:
- Host six thoughtful events
- Spend time one-on-one with a friend every month
- Volunteer at least two hours a month
- Learn about investments and start investing
- Invest in a fancy camera and take a photography class
- Make two new crock-pot meals a month
- Make two new cast iron skillet dishes a month
- Work out three times a week
- Read 24 books
- Complete as many items off my Life List as possible (grow a garden? raise a dog baby?)
- Create a video every month
- Partner with three brands
- Collaborate with five bloggers
What do you want to accomplish in 2017? Tell me your ideas and/or link your goals blog posts!
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