2018 was such a crazy, intense year for me. I did not have the best 2017 and I told myself I wouldn’t let 2018 be the same. I took chances and did things out of my comfort zone and it was SO WORTH IT. I traveled all over the US, quit my toxic job, went on a 2 week trip to Europe, moved to a new city, moved in with my best friend, started a new job, started a blog, pushed myself to meet people and network, got to hold my newborn nephew (and my goddaughter turned 2), watched my very best friend get married, the list goes on and on and on. 2018, thank you. 2019, let’s kill it.

January…. my least favorite month of the year. The holidays are over, you return to school/work, it’s cold, and nothing is going on. Take this month as a time to refresh, relax, and set goals for the rest of the year. I’ve come up with a few things to help get over the slump of this month, and things I plan on doing myself:

Dry January

Tom and I are doing dry January this year. I’ve always wanted to do this but I have always struggled doing it alone. I think having Tom with me on it is going to help majorly! It’s day 2 and we already want to reach for the wine bottle… Mainly because we’re bored, cold, and there is nothing else to do. So far so good though :) hoping it helps us realize that you don’t always need to drink.

Set Mini Goals For The Year

Or as majority of people call it, “New Years Resolutions”. This word seems heavy and nobody ever sticks to it, so mini goals work better for me. Make realistic goals for yourself. Examples:

• Save up $5k

• Join a gym and lose 2 pant sizes by summer

• Go through your closet and get rid of 20 things

• Start eating healthy by cooking 2 nights a week (extend this the further you get, eventually you will be cooking every night!)

• Clean out your phone - apps you don’t use, pictures, videos, texts, anything! I did this recently and freed up 10gb of space

• Volunteer - find something in your area that you will find fun

• Learn a new skill

• Forgive someone

• Push yourself, trust yourself, compliment yourself

You get the idea. Try and set some realistic goals you can achieve! Some of mine: cook a new recipe once a week, print out pictures and put them in albums monthly, blog at least once a week, start my newsletter, lose 15lbs by summer (I eat healthy and work out but I have thyroid issues which prevents weight loss - I am going to test cutting certain foods out of my diet to see what helps!), sell or get rid of everything I do not wear (I have a huge pile but I have gotten lazy), and pay off both my credit cards.

Make a Budget

This is a great time to set financial goals for the year. I am HORRIBLE with money, so it’s funny that this is on my list. But if I know I have a big trip planned, or I have weddings, bachelorette parties, etc, to attend, I try and save up. If you are going to Europe in the summer, put aside a savings and add a certain amount a week, it can be $20, $50, even $5! It’s amazing to see it put away and watch it grow. Come July, you can have a few $1,000 in there just waiting on your big trip. This can also go towards a wedding, buying a house, a car, whatever it is that you need to save up.

Get Rid of Things You Do Not Use

This can go hand in hand with making a budget, sell things in your home you do not use. Have a fancy jacket you’ve only worn once in the past 3 years? Sell it. Have a room or closet full of stuff you kinda like but can’t get rid of? Sell it. I promise you it feels good to get rid of things, and it’s nice to make some money off of it.

Aside from selling, I like to “spring clean” in January. Use this time to go through toiletries and cosmetics, and throw away old or expired items. Same goes with kitchen items. Go through your pantry and fridge. You probably won’t eat those frozen fruits you put in the freezer last summer, time to throw it away. Go throw the junk drawer in your kitchen. Clean out your closet. Anything helps!

Start That Hobby You Have Been Putting Off

Use January as a month to try out that new hobby you have been wanting to do. Whether it’s cooking, blogging, running, photography, this is your time to start. And if you fall in love, put 100% into it and you will get much better and enjoy it!

Call Your Family + Friends

A new year is a great time to call people you have distance with. Call your grandparents. Call your friend that moved across the country last year and you’ve spoken to twice. Keep your relationships close + important.

Cut

People say this every year and it’s pretty basic, but it is also the hardest. Cut off any toxic relationships or habits. Give yourself distance. Time to heal. I promise it’s always worth it in the end. Whether it’s a friend, family member, ex-boyfriend, job, or bad habit, you will feel better after cutting it off for a little. And then you won’t go back. This also goes for social media. Give yourself a break, or delete an account that isn’t bringing you joy.

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Use January as a time to reflect and set goals for the year. Make 2019 your best yet and push yourself to be the absolute best you can be. I know I will!