27L GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR

I decided to share my goals for the new year for both the blog and for myself. I'll be more accountable this way AND it'll be great to get some feedback from ya'll as well!

1. Collaborate with other bloggers. It's been so much more fun to blog since I've become more engaged in the blogging community over the last few months of 2013. I want to find more things to do this year that embraces that very thing-there are so many talented bloggers out there!

2. Become a better friend to my editorial calendar. Ok so I have had a love hate relationship with this calendar. I have made that calendar, I have followed it halfway or not at all! I participated in a project in November via Chasing Happy where I had a prompt everyday and posted 28 times that month in addition to my own blog posts, totaling 40 posts for November! So my goal for 2014 is to really use that calendar! 

3. Get Engaged. This has to do with social media just as much as it has to do with blog comments. I can read a lot of blog posts in a day and rarely comment. And I can do better with tweeting and posting pics on Instragram and such. This is where my blogging binder comes in. I created a to-do list (those really work for me!) and commenting and social media are on my to-do list each week. 

4. Visuals. Create better visuals for the blog. That means better images, consistency/creating a style guide (has been on my to do list, but hasn't happened), learning Photoshop and Illustrator. 

5. Embrace the vision. As the blog grows, I want to really showcase topics that embrace my vision for the blog, but I also want to be flexible and open to where the blog may go in 2014. 

6. Create. One of the things that I started working on in 2013 was embracing my creative side. I want to carry that over to 2014 and really step out of my comfort zone by sharing more of what I am working on.

7. SEO. Since I've changed platforms, I have more hands on control of my SEO efforts. I recently took a training course on SEO so now is the time to put that knowledge into action. 

I also wanted to include some personal goals here as well. I figure if I post them here, it'll push me to accomplish them.

1. Graduate and apply to teach online grad courses in Marketing.

2. Open online store by late summer.

3. Become more serious about health and fitness. I'm always amazed at how packed the gym is right after new year's. People are literally circling the parking lot for a good 30 minutes before they can actually get into the gym. And then just like that when February rolls around, the gym is a ghost town. My goal is to be one of the few that is still at the gym in February! And also, to eat healthier and to have better health emotionally and spiritually.

4. Learn HTML and CSS, something I've been wanting to learn and now that I have changed platforms, I have an opportunity to practice. 

5. Save money. Enough said. I started reading And Then We Saved a few years back, I think it's time to revisit this blog and put some of her tips into action!

6. Organization. I've noticed that I procrastinated A LOT in the latter part of 2013 and that caused me to lose one of the things I am very good at- being and staying organized! I don't even know how this happened! I used to be that person who would take care of business right away so that it would be taken care of and I wouldn't have to worry about it. So this year I MUST DO BETTER and get back to that place of being organized and on track!

And lastly, here are some words that have inspired me going into the new year:

What are your goals for the new year and how do you plan to stay on top of them and not let them fall by the wayside?