5 Tips for Keeping Your New Years Resolutions

We all know the feeling: mid-January, you are back in a routine, you start to get busy with work, friends, studying, family, and life. We all know the story, you miss a few days at the gym “Well it’s Thursday and tomorrow is Friday, so I’ll just start fresh next week” or the “Sure, I can spend $200 on this new purse, I’ll wear it every day”

We are humans, it’s natural. However, I have put together some of my favorite motivators for goals that I set for myself.

1. Write them down!!! It is really the easiest way. Buy a cute poster board from Joanne’s and write down what you want to accomplish. Put it somewhere that you can see it. every. single. day.

2. Tell your friends. Sometimes telling your friends what your goals are can be extremely helpful. They can ask you how you are doing, or maybe they will have a similar resolution that you can do together.

3. Use technology. One of my simple resolutions this year is to drink more water. I have put a reminder on my phone to tell me to fill up every couple of hours. I know a friend of mine got a new app for managing her money, and another got one for a travel fund!

4. Use a planner or calendar on your phone. Write down some mini goals for different months throughout the year now. Then when you are in the middle of summer you can look at your planner and see what your resolution was 6 months ago, it will help you stay on track.

5. Make them public. Blog about it, put it on Facebook, Intsagram, or Twitter. By making them public everyone you know will be holding you somewhat accountable. After I put up my New Years Resolutions I had a couple of people contact me about certain items on my list. It was a great way to stay motivated.

What are some of your tips and tricks for keeping goals and New Years Resolutions?

Don’t give up!! Let’s make 2014 the best year!

-A

New Year, New Plan

Happy 2014! Can you believe it!?! It’s so exciting to be starting off a New Year. There is something about January 1st that just feels right. A chance to try new things, make plans, and start fresh. It is also a great time to look back on the previous year and appreciate the growth and experiences that I had. I planned my first wedding, traveled to my alma mater to visit college friends, started a journey of working from home full-time, and many more adventures.

I thought I would put together a little list of my goals for 2014, and maybe it will inspire you to make some goals as well!

Write letters (not emails) to friends – With texting, Instagraming, Tweeting, Snapchatting, and everything in between some of the nostalgia of really connecting with your friends has been lost. I want to craft my own cards and send note to friends for no reason at all.

Go to Seattle with Kira – We have been planning a trip to Seattle for over a year! We want to take a road trip and explore the city and the surrounding area.

Take a cooking class – I studied abroad in Rome when I was in college and loved the cooking class that I took! I’m thinking either a Thai, Spanish, or Indian cooking class would be a blast!

Use my juicer more – I got a juicer from my Mom, and I really love it. I just need to make a habit of using it more. It will be a nice, fresh way to start off the day.

Have monthly dinner parties with friends – Some friends and I were out at dinner the other night and decided that we needed to have little dinner parties more often. It’s a nice, classy way to catch up and have some fun.

What are your New Years Resolutions?

-A

Thank you!

It has been an exciting few months for us! From travels, to jobs, friends, and starting this blog it has been truly exciting. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have been following along with us on this new blog journey! Also, to our new followers and blog-friends as I call you all. It has been a great experience getting to know you all through the words and experiences you share on your pages.

We are really looking forward to 2014, hoping it will bring new inspiration for the blog. Travel posts, more fashion, creativity, and laughter!

We are excited to continue with our blog journey and for you to join us.

Have a fabulous last day of 2013, talk to you next year!

-A&K

New Years Resolutions!

I always try to remind myself to make resolutions throughout the year but there is always something about the new year and a fresh start that inspires fresh goals.

Source: Google

So here are some of my own

1. Career research and networking: With the start of the new year I hope to start looking into a new career or possibly going back to school. I want to network and go on informational interviews and job shadow and meet as many new people as possible. Keeping both my options and my mind open to new opportunities.

2. Save to spend: I recently heard from my brother who heard via Freakonomics how it isn’t practical to stress out about saving in your 20s. So instead of trying to scrimp and save and miss out on concerts or trips,  I’m going to save to go to concerts and on trips! I want to  cut down on frivolous spending and focus instead on what I really want and use my money to go after those things.

3. Travel: Anywhere and everywhere, however I do have a few trips at the top of the queue.

Seattle: Ashley and I have been wanting to go for some time so we will hopefully make it happen soon!

New Orleans: Also have been wanting to go here for a long time and have been pre planning it with a friend, just need to save up and hopefully I’ll be there this spring!

Nashville: My cousin is getting married in Nashville this year and I’m so excited to visit and plan a trip to the south.

4. Be adventurous: I just want to constantly remind myself to put myself out there and meet new people, go to new places and not be lazy or boring.

5. Be happy: Whatever I’m doing and wherever I’m at I can be happy and appreciative for all that I have. Don’t waste your time doing things that make you unhappy, make time for what does!

-K

It’s the simple things.

Recently I have tried to make little changes to my day-to-day routine. I have found that changing a few simple things can make a huge difference. It can give you an ease of mind, calm yourself, or improve your health. Here are a few things that I have been doing.

(Image Source via Google)

Drinking more water

Flossing

Reading before bed and shutting off all electronics

Meditating for 15 minutes in the morning

Wearing sunscreen

-A

It’s a challenge

During the summer months it is easy to get out of a routine – even when you work full time. Lazy summer dinners with friends turn into long nights of bar hoping, and sooner then you know it you have to be up the next morning. After hitting snooze a couple of times you finally manage to get out of bed, with just enough time to grab a cup of iced coffee and run out the door. I realized in the beginning of fall that I really wanted to get back into a healthy routine, mostly of going to the gym and eating better. I also realized that I love a good challenge, so in September I did a full on cleanse. After Kira, some friends, and I went up to a cabin over labor day (a long weekend of lounging around and many cookie chips!) I came to the conclusion that it was the perfect time to get back into a routine!

I started off by planning out meals for each week, including snacks, so I would eat a small meal about every 3 hours to keep my metabolism up. I also made a plan to only each fruits, veggies, lean protein, and limited complex carbs (i.e. brown rice, corn tortillas, oats) and to drink lots of water. I also included some multivitamins, fiber pills, and protein shakes. Along with eating healthy, I also made a plan with a friend to go to the gym early in the mornings to start our day. Let me tell you – I am definitely back on a routine! Set yourself a small goal (mine was 24 days) in which you will accomplish something. It makes the ending point attainable and less scary.

For the month of October I am doing the “Kardashian Squat Challenge”! I’m not really positive if the Kardashians made it up, but I saw Khloe post it on Instagram, so that’s where I got the idea! I like that it is only 30 days, so by Halloween I will hopefully see a difference, or at least feel a difference!

If anyone has a good tip for a fun workout challenge for the month of November – I’m all ears!!!

-A