Hello you beautiful humans!

Today I am excited to share with you something that is a little new to me, but really exciting.

Would you believe me if I told you that I’ve never made a physical list of goals for the new year? I mean, I’ve always made goals for myself throughout my life, but there’s some to writing it down on pen and paper that makes it so much more legitimate. When we take the time to write down our dreams + goals with a plan and then take action on them, they becomes our reality.

For the very first time ever I have decided to set myself a list of goals for the new year! Be prepared, because here are my 20 goals for 2020!

Business Goals

Buy a new camera body. Ok, this one’s pretty straight forward. I’m always investing in new equipment. I’m thinking of making the switch to mirrorless, the Canon EOS R to be specific. I know it will be a change from the DSLR bodies but I couldn’t be more excited.
Blog once a week. I’m doin’ that!
Transition to working solely with couples. No more of those side gigs that have nothing to do with engagements, weddings, or couples in general! I want to stick with what sets my soul ablaze with passion.
Build my business Pinterest. So, of course, I have a personal Pinterest, and while it’s a fabulous place to find food and outfit inspo, I’ve been itching to branch out my business arms into the Pinterest world. Like, Instagram or any other social media platform, I think Pinterest has some benefits to offer me business-wise.
Bring on an intern. Whether it’s an intern from my alma mater (Columbia College) or a part-time assistant, I sense that I’m gonna need some major help come this fall! Sooo many exciting weddings to shoot on the docket for later this year! And this mama/photographer is gonna be busier than ever.
Create authentic connections with beautiful humans. So maybe this isn’t exactly a new goal, but it is something I want to continue honoring and practicing. It is the thing that makes what I do so genuine and so honest. Without building a real relationship with the wonderful couples I meet, I would not be able to capture the beautiful and raw moments that I do. The photos I take would not be as truthfully reflective of the couple as it otherwise would be. And that is so freaking important to me!

Family

Monthly date nights with my hubby. I wanted to say weekly, but let’s be real guys, how realistic would that be to incorporate between juggling running a business, raising a toddler, and finding down time? Still, I acknowledge that quality one-on-one time with my favorite human ever is SO important and so necessary! Not only for our relationship, but for my health. I need those designated hubby dates because why would I pass on something that is guaranteed to put a smile on my face? While some things may be put on hold when life gets hectic, my marriage to my babe is not one of those things ever.
Look for a part-time preschool for Addy. Yes, it’s almost that time!
Take a family vacay. Travelling and adventuring is one of my favorite things so of course this would be one of my goals! Work hard, play hard(er)!
Unplugging. When with my family, I really want to focus on just that. Being PRESENT. Disconnecting from the phone, from the business mind, from the social media and just being with my loved ones.
Filling my family’s love tanks. So this one kind of goes along with the last. But something I want to always have in mind is making sure my family is feeling loved. Everyone has a different “love language” so tapping into what my hubby or my daughter needs is essential. (Go read The Five Love Languages.)
Start looking for our forever home?? This one comes with question marks because it doesn’t necessarily have to happen in 2020, but it’s something on the horizon… maybe the 2021 horizon?

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Personal

Start doing yoga again. Consistent yoga practice is so good for you! For your mind and body, that’s why I want to start this back up again. Even if it is only once a week at first! It’s a good place to start because it’s something.
Pamper myself weekly. Self-care is so important. And it can mean a variety of things! To me, it means a nice bath with some candles and an Anjunadeep album in the background.
Meditate weekly. Along the same lines of self-care. I really, really want to start my weeks by meditating. It’ll be a way to put myself in a good mindframe in order to conquer the days! New week, new fresh mindset.
Minimize. It is so true that your external space affects you internally. If the physical space around you is cluttered and messy, so will your mind. With life becoming busier, I’ve realized that feeling clear and organized is more important than ever. That’s why I want to put this into practice wherever and however I can.
Write in my planner! Jumping off of the last goal, I NEED to start doing this! And I have done it a bit, but I mean making this a religious practice. When I write things down (like tasks, ideas, or ~goals) I feel like they become more real and they’re more likely to come to fruition.
Read a freakin’ book! One thing I never do is READ! Like, I truly don’t remember the last time I sat down to read a book for fun. Well, this year you bet your ass I’m gonna do this more often! (If any of you lovelies have book suggestions, send them my way!)
Explore a personal photography project. Now this is something I have been mulling over in my head for a while. While I love shooting weddings, engagements, and couples, I have been really missing the feeling of working on a project solely for myself! I think back to college when a professor would assign something so open-ended like, “Just create something” or “Add a series to your portfolio” etc. And you know what? I am dying to tap back into that groove. The feeling you get once you’ve created something from your own head, for no one else but yourself, is unlike anything.
And finally, follow through on my 2020 goals!! Now, I know I might not hit every target, but I want to at least try or get close to hitting them all! To be honest, I am just proud of myself for making a list of aspirations in the first place! It’s all about taking things one step at a time, right? Well each of these steps are a part of my journey as an ever-evolving person, and I cannot freaking wait to see where I end up this time next year.