2016 Year in Review

Embroidered Flowers

Happy Wednesday, darlings!

I hope that you all enjoyed your holiday weekend 🙂 I had a nice few days off, but I’m glad to be back on the blog. With 2016 ending in just a few days, I thought I’d review this past year and talk about my resolutions for 2017! Read on to see my favorite outfit posts and most popular posts of 2016  in my 2016 Year in Review 🙂

2016 Year in Review

Princess Dress

White Christmas

All Laced Up

Purple Velvet

The Prettiest Pink

Turning in Tulle

Navy Floral & Pink Tulle

How to Style a Floral Skirt for Winter

Trendlee Review

10 Reasons Why I Wear Dresses

The Perfect Gift

Other notable posts from 2016:

• Organizing Your Closet
• Cleaning Out Your Closet
• You Know You’re a Fashion Blogger When…
• 5 Ways to Tie a Silk Scarf
• Understanding Instagram: Tips & Tricks
• How to Grow Your Instagram Following
• Picnic With Lularoe (My personal experience as a consultant and customer. One of my very first posts and my most read EVER!)
• Chicwish & Romwe Shopping Experience

If I could describe 2016 in two words it would… life changing. I’m not even sure where to begin in my 2016 Year in Review.

In January, I recapped 2015 and wrote out resolutions for this year (see the post here). My three resolutions included making health a priority, taking time for myself and exploring new places. Although, I did have good intentions, my eating and working out habits were not so great (I do have a good excuse though!). This is something I am determined to change. Taking time for myself was also very difficult. I am very much a “yes” person and a people pleaser to the extent that it stresses me out and leaves me with zero free time. Mid-way through the year, I decided to change this. I learned to say no and made it a priority to take time for myself.

This year also brought about more adventures than I could have ever dreamed! When I wrote the original post in January, we did not have any trips planned. We did not know that this year would take us to so many beautiful places all over the world. Our itinerary included Yosemite, Sequoia, Lake Tahoe, the Grand Canyon, and traveling through Europe by train to the most amazing destinations…London, Paris, Lucerne, the Swiss Alps, Venice and Rome. In my original post, I had mentioned that something exciting was going to happen for my husband and I in 2016. What you don’t know is that this exciting thing wasn’t a trip across the world…but a plan to buy our first home. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances came up shortly afterward and we were unable to do this. Although it was heartbreaking at the time, there was a silver lining. We took our money that we had saved up for many years as a down payment on a home and went on the dream honeymoon that we never got to have. Crazy? Maybe, but I thought “If not now, then when?” We don’t have children yet and we may not get another chance in the future, so why not. Definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made and I do not regret it one bit.

This year has brought about so many changes within myself. I feel like I have grown and matured in so many ways. One thing I really struggled with this year was settling on a career path. It has been a super emotional thing for me seeing others on the path to success with their enviable careers…and here I am, a college graduate that still does not know what they want to be when they grow up. I have done a lot of soul searching this year trying to figure out who I am, what I want and how to get there. I started out the year set on going into a teaching credential program…not because I wanted to be a teacher, but because I felt pressured to from everyone else. After many heart aches, I decided mid-way through the year that teaching is not where I see myself. Fashion design was always my first true love, but it never worked out so I decided to try another route. I took an architecture class over the summer and absolutely loved it! Then I realized that I would need to do at least 4-5 more years of schooling to become an INTERN. Back to square one, which leads me here.

I do believe things happen for a reason and that everything that has happened this year has taken me in a certain direction. I also believe that when something is meant to be, that it comes easily and there are no obstacles. That’s why my first resolution for 2017 is to:

Be Courageous and DREAM BIG!

I have decided that I need to stop listening to what other people think I should do with my life and just do what I love and what makes me happy. Anything worth doing is going to be hard work and I know that taking risks are never easy, but I have found that they are always worth it in the long run. I know that stepping out in faith can be very scary and that at times, people may not understand or support me in my decisions but at the same time, I have to do what I feel is right in my heart. The only regret I would feel is if I had never even tried at all. Instead of wishing for a certain life….I’m going to create it.

Step Out of My Comfort Zone

I shared a post not too long ago about the stresses of making friends, networking and interacting in a group setting. I am making it my mission this year to step out of my comfort zone and attempt to be more confident in myself. It something I really struggle with and something I’ve always wished I could change. So I’m going to 🙂

Say Goodbye to Toxic People

This is something else I struggle with because I never want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but there comes a point in one’s life when overwhelming negativity from others becomes too much. No one has the right to make you feel bad about yourself and you shouldn’t allow them to. I’m a super positive person and want to surround myself with others that lift people up instead of tearing them down.

I think that 2017 will be a very tough, but rewarding year and I am excited to see what is to come! I’m determined to make this the most incredible year yet 🙂

What are your resolutions for the new year?