Happy Friday! Today I wanted to check in with the New Year’s Resolutions I made for 2016, and also share my goals for 2017. I go through different phases in my life where sometimes I want to make very specific goals, and other times I don’t want to make any goals at all. When 2016 began, I definitely had specific goals in mind. This year, however, I would much rather focus on overall themes than particular resolutions. What I’ve decided to do is check in with the five resolutions I made for 2016, and then share with you what I hope to accomplish in 2017.
If you would like to see my original 2016 New Year’s Resolutions blog post, you can read it HERE. I will be mentioning each resolution as I share my reflections with you.
My first goal for 2016 was to paint my nails more often and try out more nail art. The main reason I made this resolution was because I began this blog to talk about nail polish, and I felt like I needed to use the polish in my collection and share more with all of you. While I did blog a good amount about nail polish in 2016, I did not wear polish much in my daily life. However, I did a fantastic job at decluttering my nail polish collection and getting it down to a somewhat reasonable number for me. I’m at the point right now where if I don’t feel like painting my nails, I’m not going to, and there is nothing wrong with that. I will not attempt to force myself to paint my nails more, nor try any new nail art.
My next resolution was to nail down a skincare routine. While I definitely did not achieve this goal, I did focus on skincare more than I had in the past. I still struggle when it comes to taking care of my skin, and I know I need to make skincare a daily habit. I see a huge difference in my skin when I use skincare products regularly, and I know taking care of my skin is important. I hope that in 2017 I can make my skin a priority.
Wow! I can’t believe how much my health has changed in one year. In my 2016 Resolutions post, I mentioned how I didn’t aim to go vegan yet, but as it turns out I made the switch in June. I began seeing changes in my health after a few weeks on a vegan diet, and I’m sure that is attributed to eating more products, whole grains, and legumes. I would still like to exercise regularly, as I majorly struggle with being active. I did go on a lot of walks in the fall, but I want to prioritize movement more in 2017. Health is very important to me, both physically and mentally. In 2017 I hope to care for myself mentally by journaling regularly and connecting more with people in person rather than online.
I also wanted to become a more organized person in 2016, and I made great strides with this goal. I got rid of many boxes and bags of my belongings, and I continue to declutter my space on a regular basis. I’m especially proud of the work I’ve done in my bathroom – I no longer hoard products, I only buy what I need, and everything has a place. I even got a lot of products and tools off of my bathroom countertop! My organization was aided by my paper planner, and the dedicated journals I began for my reading and my blog. In 2017 I want to continue to declutter my space. In particular, I want to get rid of the things I own for purely nostalgic reasons.
My final goal for 2016 was to read 40 books. I achieved this goal early in the year, and ended up reading 67 books total! This year I’ve decided to challenge myself to read 50 books. I should easily be able to accomplish this, but I wanted to keep the number on the small side to encourage myself to read longer books. I also want to read more adult fiction this year. I still love young adult, but one reason I love reading is because of the shared experience I can have with other people. My real life friends tend to read popular adult fiction, and I would like to be able to discuss those books with them.
Overall, I am happy with the progress I made in 2016, and I am looking forward to the strides I can make in 2017 as well. I am constantly reminding myself that every day is a new opportunity, and we are in full control to better ourselves at any moment. It’s okay to fail at goals, and it’s okay to change your goals and your direction. I hope you will join me as I discover what adventures 2017 has in store!
I am so bad when it comes to taking care of my skin! One of my recurring makeup bad habits is not taking off my makeup before bed. I know, it’s terrible! This year I want to make sure I go through an entire skincare routine both morning and evening. That way I can put my best face forward!
It’s a cliche New Year’s Resolution, but I definitely want to focus on my overall health more than ever. For me, this includes taking the daily vitamins recommend by my doctor, exercising on a regular basis, and eating better foods. As you may know, I am a vegetarian, and this year I want to truly embrace my vegetarianism by focusing more on produce and less on grains and dairy. I don’t aim to go vegan right now, but I know that putting good foods into my body will make me feel a lot better. To go along with this, I want to continue trying new recipes on a regular basis!
Last but not least, I always set a reading goal on the website Goodreads. This past year I was able to read 50 books, and I’m setting my goal at 40 for 2016 so I don’t put pressure on myself. I also want to make an effort to read longer books, so I should have a nice cushion with a goal of 40. Here are the books I received for Christmas this past year. I’m so excited to get to them all!