Yes I know it's so cliché to have resolutions for the new year but who cares? You can always use some motivation to better your life, right?
So I think I just need an outlet to air these things out so I can be held more accountable. 2017 was great but it was also a whirlwind of activity. I think the wedding really consumed my time and energy so I neglected other things. So here are the things I'm doing different in 2018.
Blogging More and Better
I used to make a decent second income from blogging but last year I honestly put my blog on the back burner and I feel terrible about it. My income took a hit and with Stella's health problems and Rocky's ongoing heart check up costs I really need to do better at blogging so I can create better content and make more income on the side. All of my blogging income basically goes towards my dogs and some of it towards my long term savings. I am going to be taking more blogging courses and webinars this year and I promise you'll be able to see an improvement in my content.
Also, I think I always focus on how my content can benefit others (advice type posts, etc. ) and that's a great mindset to drive traffic to my site but also I realized I love reading about other people's lives so it's not a bad thing if some of my posts are just about me and my life.
Paying Off Debts
So I know I was debt free before but now I have approximately $1,800 in credit card debt that I'd like to wipe out. It's super frustrating because my extra money each month goes towards my dogs when I'd rather just pay off all my debt with it but I know that then I'll end up going back into debt if I don't have money on hand for the dogs. So I'm going to be super strict with my budget. If I have to be a hermit and give up my fun money allowance every other paycheck, so be it. No more impulse buys at the store or shopping because I'm bored. I need to be happy again with what I have. That kind of goes hand in hand with my next point.
As much as I'd like to pay off my debt AND build up my savings I need to just focus on one goal at a time. That way I think I'll have better luck and motivation to achieve it. So for now it's just the debt!
KonMari! Clear the Clutter!
You can read all my previous KonMari posts here and I bet it'll motivate you. Again, with the wedding last year it was very chaotic and I accumulated some more stuff I don't need or won't use again. In early December I KonMari'd my closet and dressers again but I have to keep going down the checklist to do the rest of the house again. They say KonMari is an entire lifestyle change and it is but sometimes the chaos of everyday life can set you back. So since I feel stressed with trying to find room for all of my kitchen items, or I'm noticing I have way too much beauty supplies, I need to make sure I KM and keep in mind that although our house is only 1,100 square feet it's PLENTY big for us.
Home Improvements
We are going to use our wedding money for a patio out back! I can't freakin' wait!!!! We do have a basement we could finish and new flooring we want to do in the dining room but honestly the patio is the priority for this year! I can't wait!! We will be discussing it with the concrete company in March. I can't wait to show it off to you guys!
Health and Wellness
I gained more weight, UGH and the struggle is so so so frickin' real so I really need to lose that weight. As much as I want to focus on my fitness routine, the real problem is my eating habits. So I'm going back to logging EVERYTHING I eat in my Fitbit app and no more snacking at night on junk food. It's so hard but I know I can do it. I would also like to stop being so darn stressed but I know the things I stress about are the things I listed in my above resolutions so I think it'll all take care of itself.
What are your resolutions for 2018?
I have plans to blog better, too! I am hoping to make a little bit of money from it to help pay off my student loans.
ReplyDeleteI’m such a fan of your blog as it is i can’t wait to see how you can make it even better! Perhaps we can collaborate a couple times this year too :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! That would be so cool!
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