Goals 2017

Happy New Year everyone! Yay! Today’s the first day of 2017 and I just wanted to kind of start sharing some of my life with you guys on my blog. I want to really start using my blog effectively so that you guys can see inside my life and my business and get to know me a little better as well as viewing some awesome sessions throughout the year. The first day of the New Year is the day that most of us start thinking about resolutions or goals that we would like to set for this coming year.

For the last couple of years I’ve been setting goals and writing them at the back of calendars or on my cell phone. Have I always accomplished every one of those things on my lists? No! Some were super unrealistic like lose 100 pounds, ha ha ha (still kind of have that one down for this year but with a much more realistic number) and some were so vague it would be hard to measure if the goal was even met. But this past year I really watched God work in my life through my business. I was not only able to just see these things happening in front of my eyes but I was able to look back after writing down business goals and really trying to go after them and do my part while watching God make things happen.

When you write something down and you reflect on it often you are more likely to succeed because you are keeping it at the front of your mind. Writing them so others can see is another level of accountability. I want to encourage everyone this year to write a few realistic goals down and go after them! What’s there to lose? Also, in God’s word He says He has a plan for us, plans to give us hope and a future! (Jeremiah 29:11) So with all that being said, I’m going to share some of my goals for 2017 with you guys so that I can be accountable and transparent, and hopefully more likely to fulfill them! I am far from perfect and I don’t know if I am going to be able to check all of these off my list by 2018. We’ll just have to wait and see. So, goals for 2017:

1. More financial stability. I hope to achieve this through participating in Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, and by keeping track of my money through Quickbooks. Y’all running a business is hard and it’s so easy to lose track, especially of money. I want to not only save money but be able to give more away to God! So first, I’ve got to start tracking this stuff better!
2. Better health. I not only want to lose 20 pounds, which is so much more reasonable than the 100 I once crazily thought I could do, but I also want to really start taking care of my body. I want to be a good steward of this body God has given me while on Earth.
3. Daily devotionals. I want to be with God every single day, even if it’s just for 10 minutes, spending time in His word and praying. I’ve downloaded some apps to help! I really don’t want this to be one of those goals that fades out in a month or two when life gets too busy. When God is at the center of my life and my day I have the best perspective.
4. Set boundaries. This one is a family-focused business goal. I have set business hours for myself but I need to really enforce those boundaries so that when I leave work I can give my whole self to my family. I don’t want to just be in the room with them while checking emails, phone calls, and editing. I want them to know that I cherish them and the time I have with them. I want to be able to enjoy family dinners, and outings, and date nights distraction free!
5. Improve work flow. I want to be more productive with my editing and more efficient with returning photographs in a timely manner. This was something I definitely lacked in the past year. I’m ashamed to say there is still editing that I have to do right now from 2016! I am carving out time for specific purposes to make this happen. I would love to look back on 2017 and see much improvement with myself in this area.

So, now that I’ve put my list out there, what goals are on your list? What steps are you going to take to make those goals happen? I hope that 2017 brings each of you guys hope for the future. Don’t let the failures and low points of 2016 bring you down. It’s a new year full of endless possibility!