Highlights of 2017 + 4 Intentions for 2018

Happy New Year! What a year 2017 was. I experienced the highest of highs and some low lows. 2017 will be a year I never forget. I was pregnant the majority of it and it will forever be the year that me and my husband’s lives changed. Bringing Mila into this world is by far the best thing to of ever happened to me and each passing day my love for her grows that much more.

Professionally it was a great year as well. For my day job as a Sales Executive I managed to stay in the top 5 reps out of roughly 300. I dropped several spots once I went on maternity leave but should still be going to President’s Club (this will be my fifth year!).

I partnered with some amazing brands on the blog that I love. I had my own spread in a magazine, played model for a luxury hotel, joined the incredible women of Chic at Every Age and shot a major campaign for a clothing brand (coming out this spring!).

My travels weren’t as adventurous as they normally are but I still stayed at some incredible hotels and visited some new destinations.

While I have several goals for 2018, I am not making a list of resolutions. I don’t know if it’s just the place I’m at right now mentally but this year I am focusing on overall words to live by. I want to be more mindful of my thoughts and actions and focus on things I want to be intentional about.

I think a lot of people feel like once January 1st hits they have to have all of their goals written down and hit the ground running. I think it’s great to set goals and important to set goals. I think the new year always brings a mental fresh start or refresh that can be very liberating. But if you don’t have all of your stuff together day one, that’s ok! Didn’t work out 1/1? That’s ok! Didn’t start that diet 1/1? That’s ok! Haven’t thought about goals whatsoever? That’s ok too! Here it is January 3rd and only now am I getting this post up! All I’m trying to say is don’t be too hard on yourself. You can start any day- the most important part is just that you start.

So what are my intentions and words I am going to try to live by this year? I have four of them. I’d love to know your thoughts and if you do any of the same…

2018 Intentions

Be better to my body.

This one encompasses so much. What I eat and drink, my physical activity, my skin… I need to improve all of it. It’s been 2.5 months since I had Mila and I am finally feeling ready to begin exercising again. While I try to eat healthy, a lot of times I do not. Breastfeeding can make you HANGRY so my goal is to have healthier snacks on hand as well as prepare healthy dinners more frequently. My husband and I have talked about also eating less meat. I plan to start incorporating more vegetarian meals and even vegan ones every now and then.

Focus on responding, not reacting.

Attitude is everything. So many times in life things can go wrong or just flat out not go our way. How we handle these moments is much more important than what actually happened. From something as small as getting cut off while driving or spilling coffee to something as big as being let go from your job, our initial reactions can say a lot about our mental state. I’ve had moments where I spilled something or burnt something and got really angry. How stupid, right? I spilled a little coffee… big deal! I forgot to put the timer on the oven and burnt the cookies… life WILL go on. When you look at the big picture, it’s not worth getting upset over. When these types of moments happen (because they will time and time again) I intend on taking a deep breath and using my head a little more.

Be present.

While this one sounds so simple it can actually be the most difficult. We live in a world where so much of our day can be spent on our phones and computers. Especially owning a blog… I don’t even post as much as I would like to and I am on my phone nonstop. Posting to Instagram, checking Facebook, googling something, checking my email, linking outfits, writing notes, editing photos, texting, shopping, heck I even use an app to clock when I nurse Mila! I am on my phone constantly. Since being home with Mila I definitely put my phone down more when it’s just me and her. I truly am trying to soak up these moments with her because I know they will not last forever. But it’s not just about putting down the phone. When you are with someone or working on something or doing anything really, be present in that moment. It’s so easy to get caught up worrying about things in the future or mull over past decisions. All of this takes away from living in the moment. I intend on making the effort to be present in everything I do. My time with Mila, my husband, at work… I will be present in every way I can.

Be thankful.

Everyday I will give thanks. Whether it’s when I wake up, go to sleep, throughout the day… I have so much to be thankful for and I never want to lose sight of that. This is something I already do but I want to do it more. Appreciate what I have. Tomorrow isn’t promised and our lives can change in an instant when we least expect it. I don’t ever want to feel like I didn’t appreciate what I have. Below is a crummy iPhone photo taken at midnight New Year’s Eve #REALLIFE. I started the year with the two most important people in my life and I can’t wait to see what adventures the 3 of us (and Leo, of course) have in 2018.

What are your thoughts on being intentional? Do you plan to do any of these things as well? I’d love to know what some of your goals are or what you plan to be intentional about this year! And if you made it this far, thank you for reading! I appreciate you more than you know and can’t wait to share more with you in 2018.

Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading!

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