Hello my loves! This month has been jammed pack of incredible theatre, amazing trips, and lots of good wine.
(It's a good thing I know my brand).
And now that I'm home for a couple of days, I finally have time to sit down and create my list of 24 goals for year 24. This yearly goal list is something I started doing last year, instead of New Year's resolutions, because my birthday falls so close to the New Year anyway.
And while I fell a little short on last year's list,
I've decided not to dwell on what I didn't accomplish and instead focus on what I did.
And I am encouraging you all to do the same. Because you are amazing and did some pretty incredible things this year and I think you should be proud of them.
This year I decided to break up my goals into six categories (with four goals each) so I can have a more focused and organized list. I think last year's list had common themes, but was extremely scattered in terms of the list itself. I wanted my list to be more specific and more focused to make it more do-able in my mind. So without further ado, here it is:
24 Goals for Year 24
Theatre Goals
1. Finish updating my professional website and keep it updated. (I'm super behind 🙈)
2. Update the resume.
My resume is also out of date because I'm struggling to start erasing educational credits as my professional credits build up. She's in need of a major makeover so stay tuned everyone.
3. Work in NYC.
I'd love to start doing some freelancing in the city and start getting my name out there. I'd also love to explore working more one day /quick event management type gigs (cabarets, 10 minute play festivals, etc.). These fast and furious gigs really push me when it comes to thinking on my feet and always get my creative juices flowing.
4. Once a week "creative dates".
This can range from coffee dates or Facetime dates with friends & mentors, to going to see a show, or to spending a few hours in a coffee shop listening to music and journaling. Sometimes I get into a routine and it can leave me feeling uninspired. This will help keep me inspired and switch up the everyday routine of rehearsal and shows.
Travel Goals
5. Get a passport.
6. A trip to New Orleans.
Nerd alert. I was never a Harry Potter kid. I started the series at just the wrong time and so I've only read the first one (and maybe a bit of the second) and have only seen the first movie. I KNOW I KNOW. I'll add it to this year's unofficial goal list right now. But I was absolutely one of those vampire nerds and was a huge fan of The Vampire Diaries. Well TVD had a spin off (and boy was it a fantastic one) called The Originals which took place in New Orleans. And having finally finished the show this past year, it re-inspired my extreme desire to go.
7. Explore the less tourist-y places of NY.
With trips to the city becoming a more frequent occurrence, I have started to branch out of the NY staples I tend to frequent because I use to only be in the city once in a blue moon. I have a blog post coming on Tuesday with a few of the new places I have been (as well as some of the staples). But I'd love any and all recommendations you all might have as I start to branch out.
8. Return to JMU.
JMU is truly one of the happiest places on Earth and really shaped me into the person I am today. I haven't been back to JMU since graduation and while my travel list is long this year, returning to JMU is definitely on the top of the list.
Blog Goals
9. Write 50 blog posts.
I wrote about 40 or so posts this year (including a few guest posts), which is definitely an improvement from last year. I think I've found a schedule I like in terms of consistency and content, so I'm excited to see how this schedule works out in full effect this year.
10. Improve my photography skills.
So I have an old iPhone and so the photos it takes are about a 6/10. Most of the time the photos you see on my Instagram are taken with a much better iPhone and a much better photographer behind it. I'm hoping to improve my photography skills to make the overall quality of these blog posts better.
11. 100 email subscribers.
Have you joined my email list? Well if you haven't you should! At this point I can only send out three emails a month without paying for it so I promise I won't be bombarding you with emails every single day. Email subscribers to this blog get insight as to what I'm posting, the latest and greatest theatre and travel tips, and a little Motivational Monday quote to get their week started off on the right foot! Want to join? Let me know!
12. Instagram- Beautiful, but honest content.
So hear me out. I love Instagram. I have always been a huge capture the moment with a photo to remember it forever kind of gal. And I think Instagram is the perfect way to do that in a less time consuming way then scrapbooking (which trust me I still try to do with one of my Happy Planners). And while I know to not define success or my worth based on my number of followers or likes, I would love for my posts to reach more people. Because I've made a lot of mistakes and am constantly learning from them and I want other people to realize mistakes mean you are human. So while I want to keep growing my 'Gram (and therefore my blog), I want to keep it honest (i.e. like that time I spilled hot chocolate all over the new rug just to get a shot for my story).
Personal Goals
13. Apologize for my mistakes.
Everyone sees the happy and positive person I am on a regular basis, but even I get grumpy sometimes. Mostly when I'm hungry. So I'm working on realizing when I mess up and get sassy and owning up to it.
14. Be less type A about time in my daily life.
This is where stage management has gotten the best of me and I get very anxious or stressed out about time. Literally there is no time requirement for what time we have to show up at the bar for birthday drinks. I'm working on not getting stressed out over things that aren't time sensitive.
15. Live in the moment.
Along those lines, I'm trying to enjoy where I'm at and who I am with and not concern myself to much with what is coming next.
16. Appreciate my tribe more.
My people would bend over backwards for me and have proven it time and time again. I do my best to show them how much I love them, but I want them to know that I appreciate them each and every day.
Wellness Goals
17. Continue my yoga practice.
I almost completed a 30 day Yoga Challenge (literallythisclose) and I'm determined to make it happen in 2019 and continue working toward a balanced mind/body/spirit.
18. Drink water.
I've gotten so much better at this and want to continue pushing myself to drink less juice (not much of a soda girl) and more water.
19. Try different types of exercise.
I hate cardio and actually working out. And while yoga is a great way to exercise, I want to try and push myself to do a new workout at least once a week.
20. Meal prep more.
I've been eating out a lot lately mostly because of traveling, but also because there are currently mice in our apartment. So I barely like to be in my apartment let alone cook in there. But HOPEFULLY the mice will gtfo soon, so I can return to using the kitchen.
"Random" Goals
21. Learn to crochet.
22. Volunteer/give back.
I started #TeamGhostlight and would love to really get it rolling this year. I also have some other ideas on ways to start giving back and I'm looking forward to getting started.
23. Finish New Girl.
24. Read 15 books and 15 plays.
So that's my list and I highly encourage you to make a list yourself.
*SCROLL TO HERE FOR ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN GOALS LIST *
Here's a little list of tips to make your list manageable and accomplishable for the New Year:
1. Don't call them resolutions.
Resolutions to me screams "I'll do it for a month and then quit". And this is your year to stick with it. So call them goals or things to accomplish or anything that will keep you inspired to keep it up the entire year.
2. Make it manageable.
You don't have to be crazy and have 24 goals like me. If there's one goal you really want to do and stick with then keep it to one. I am constantly striving to improve in all areas of my life and so my list is a bit longer. But you do what you can do, because one goal is just as awesome as 24.
3. If your list is longer, break it up.
This will make it more organized and not a hodge-podge of a list like I had last year.
4. Write it down.
You don't have to publicly blog about it like I do, but writing it down will hold you more accountable and help set you up for success.
5. Know why.
Don't just set goals and not know why you are doing them. It's important to know the exact reason behind it because in those moments of wanting to quit you can look to "your why" to get re-inspired.
6. Make it a habit.
In Rachel Hollis's book Girl, Wash Your Face, she talks about how if you have quit something in the past, you will most likely quit it again. So if you have to make it a habit because then that will be the new reference point for your mind.
7. Don't give up.
Did you forget to drink your second bottle of water for the day? Not workout because tech week is killing you softly? That is okay. Know that it is okay to mess up or make a mistake. It does not mean you have failed. You just have to pick up and try again.
So there you have it. If you have read this far, mad props to you. I am also the biggest cheerleader so if you have goals for the New Year you want moral support on or someone to help you figure out a manageable way to achieve them please let me know!
Thank you all for following along on this crazy little blog journey I've been going on and I hope you decide to keep reading along in the New Year! I have a few more planned posts coming up this year, but it's the holidays so honestly who knows if they will actually get written.
I hope everyone has a lovely holidays spent cozy and warm (like seriously it's 60 degrees in December) with people they love.
Much love always,
Chels ❤️
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