Hello, 2018

Writing.

In the past, it was rarely a struggle for me. Then, 2017 happened and this girl lost her voice. It was still there, buried somewhere in my head wanting to get out, but somehow felt blocked and stifled. I had so many things going outside of blogging this past year that I had to put it in the backseat for my own sanity at times.

Shop this Outfit:
Dress: Vintage {read my post all about vintage shopping here!} // Jacket: Vintage {similar at Forever 21 under $50!} // Boots: Who What Wear Collection “Keisa” Boots, $38 // Clutch: Everlane Fold Over {similar under $40 at Nordstrom!} // Sunglasses: Foster Grant {similar at Amazon under $10!}

Photos by Brittany Sue Photo

In the past, when things would happen to me, whether they were positive or negative, I would immediately want to start writing. But this past year has been tough in a way I didn’t expect. Our new house brought so many emotions: elation, joy, excitement. Then, it brought fear, dread, and for a fleeting moment, even regret.

Fortunately those last emotions have died down as we have tackled the surprises that were hiding and we have felt more on top of things as homeowners. But I’ll be honest, it’s not for the faint of heart and really tested us at first. Call me dramatic, but as many times as others told me that home ownership could be hard, it really didn’t fully sink in until it actually happens. Balancing it all was a challenge.

With the dawn of a new year comes new opportunities. While it’s just another day and another year, it does offer the opportunity for reflection. For looking forward. And for new excitement and renewed hope.

For me, 2018 is going to be about taking on new risks, new projects, and challenging myself to do better. To connect with YOU more. I feel like the past couple of years I may have lost a bit of that as the pressure of following certain blogging “rules” became all too real.

Beyond the online connections, I want to be better about connecting in person too. In 2017, something I did do a good job of was building more real friendships, and I’m looking forward to continuing that in 2018. That was one of the major reasons I began blogging, the hope of connecting with others like me, and I’m glad that it has given me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people.

But, this little side project definitely comes with its own host of challenges too. I admit that for the past year or so, I probably was swept away with brand opportunities, trying to grow, and losing some of that original passion and excitement that I once had. No longer could I just write to write. I had to have the perfect photos, the most interesting blog post title, and I had an overwhelming amount of tasks to complete, from learning to set up taxes for this newfound business to navigating contracts and engaging on social media as the pressure to grow my accounts increased.

It’s exhausting just writing it all out.

So, in 2018, my goal is to focus on writing more. Worrying less. (Cause your girl is a big worrier. Please just peace out already, anxiety!) And working on sharing more of my life and advice to help you: whether it’s inspiring you to get creative with your wardrobe, trying out a bold lip color, traveling to a place you’ve never considered before, or giving you a new idea for that one room you just can’t figure out how to decorate in your home.

Ultimately, that’s my New Years Resolution in a nutshell. Worry less, write more. Happy 2018, friends! I can’t wait to see what this year has in store.

Do you have a New Year’s resolution for 2018? I’d love it if you shared it with me in the comments!