Happy Friday, my loves!
I can’t believe that we are already at the start of a new year! While I went pretty in depth about 2020 in my last post, I think it’s time to say farewell to that time and start anew! 🙂 Today I’m sharing my 2021 New Years Goals, both personal and professional. And while I’m at it, I’m also going to share some changes that I’ll be making moving forward.
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New Blog Changes for 2021
In 2021, you can expect more niche content surrounding feminine fashion, beauty and lifestyle along with old favorites (Month in Review, etc) and new additions at least 3 times a week (possibly 5? Am I crazy?? Lol!). I also have an exciting update for my newsletter planned so stay tuned! Big changes are in store for YouTube as I will be upping my YouTube video uploads from once a week to twice a week as I introduce various short form series’. These series will cover tips on feminine lifestyle, fashion, beauty and blogging 🙂 For Instagram, you can still expect the same feminine fashion and lifestyle content but more refined and intentional with the addition of new mediums including video. I do also plan to be more present on stories. And speaking of stories…. last year, I tried to incorporate different series but I found that while the idea was good, it was just too overwhelming. I found that I thrive better on there when things aren’t overly planned so I won’t be focusing too much on specific series’ this year but mainly connecting with you all on a deeper and more personal level while also focusing on sharing the things that you all love. I am confident that these changes will be such a good thing! And to add to that, I am in the process of refining a few things on the blog visually but that shouldn’t change too much. I’ve also just added a video page where you can watch any of my videos directly. And lastly, I’m excited to announce that I will also start booking consultations for both blogging and fashion! This has been in the works for a while so I’m excited to get started 🙂 I’ll share more details soon!
Also, I do have my annual survey up! I would LOVE to hear your thoughts. It’s 10 questions, takes less than 2 minutes and would help me so so much! Take the survey HERE <3
Outfit Details
Adrianna Papell Dress c/o (sold out – similar here) | Vintage Whiting & Davis Bag (similar here) | Anthropologie Headband (old – love this) | Angara Ring | Rose Gold Tennis Bracelet (similar here)
My 2021 New Years Goals
Some of these goals are a continuation from the past while others are part of a fresh new start. I feel like I do this every year because “new year, new you” but I’m honestly in a much different place than I have been in years past. I also want to add a “word of the year” since I’ve never done anything like that. This year’s word will be Growth. I experienced a lot of growth last year but this year I want to grow in other areas now that I’m ready. I really do think 2021 is going to be my year (and hopefully yours too!).
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2021 New Years Goals – Professional
Time Management
This past year was an absolute whirlwind and even as a decently organized person, I found myself scrambling and just trying to keep my head above the water most times. I felt overwhelmed and was easily burnt out just trying to keep up with everything. For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working hard to not only organize my home and my life but also my work. I’ve come to terms that I don’t need to do all the things- I just need to stick with what I’m good at, what I’m passionate about and what will be the most beneficial to both my business and myself personally in the long run. Before, I spent a lot of time doing menial, repetitive tasks because I thought I “had” to and I found that I wasn’t fulfilled and I wasn’t using my time wisely in terms of furthering my business. This is also means that I’ll need to say no to the things that don’t make sense for me anymore. Over the last few weeks, I’ve really narrowed down the things that I want to focus on and dedicate my time to moving forward. I feel like I’ve been so scatter-brained and while I’ve had a focus and niche, it’s also been quite flexible as I’ve incorporated a lot of different things. I think that managing my time more efficiently will help. The phrase “work smarter, not harder” is definitely going to apply to 2021 😉
Balance
This goes hand in hand with time management. I’ve had such a hard time balancing things in the past for various reasons but one thing I learned this year is that I really need and enjoy my personal time. I find that it helps incredibly with my mental health and it just makes me a happier person overall. When I’m constantly working, I don’t even have time to think or breathe. I become a robot of sorts and I don’t know like that – I’ve realized that I need to make time for myself too. I’m the type of person that is constantly going going going but sometimes, it’s okay to relax and sit around doing absolutely nothing. In fact, I look forward to this time now. I’ve made dedicated work hours and I try not to work on the weekends unless I need to. I’ve made time for hobbies, reading, relaxing and just being in the moment, which I feel has been incredibly beneficial to my mental health. I’m not constantly worried about my to do list and I’ve found that this practice is really working for me. And this past year, I took more “breaks” than ever before. Granted, I had a tough year with a lot of things to work through BUT it taught me a valuable lesson about balance. Previously, I thought that if I missed a post or even a week of posting (I would have never dreamed of doing that!) that I would disappoint others or that my readers would forget about me. It sounds silly, I know but these are the thoughts that go on in my head sometimes lol! I’ve learned that it’s absolutely okay to take a time out and that people are definitely understanding of that.
Focus
I don’t know why but I feel like I’ve been all over the place this past year. I could not focus at all! I was confused about so many things. I had a million ideas and just felt overwhelmed. I’ve found that having an organized and clean space helps a ton as well as meditating each day. I have a general to do list but I also make a daily to do list of the biggest tasks. This makes me feel much less overwhelmed in general and I feel proud of what I accomplish each day. I’ve also tried to focus on specific tasks that bring me closer to my long term goals rather than spending all of my time each day just doing the things that need to keep me afloat short term. This also means that I will be changing things up this year. I feel like I’ve been doing the same thing for so long and now I feel like I’m at the point where I need to evolve a bit more. I used to think that I had to write about and share certain things or too many things in order to appeal to everyone but I found that over the years, I’ve lost a bit of myself and the main focus of what I want my blog and brand to be about. I’m ready to learn new skills and implement the things that I’ve been wanting to do for years. This year I will be focusing on more specific elements of my brand that I believe are more authentic to the person I am and that will also be more beneficial to my readers overall. Think of it as Lizzie in Lace 2.0 😉
Step Out of my Comfort Zone
I’ve been living in my comfort zone for far too long and I’m ready to spread my wings. I honestly don’t know what has happened to me in the past few weeks but I feel like a light has been switched on. I’m ready for and craving new and exciting things! This year, I am hyper focused on growth in every aspect. I believe that you grow the most when you become uncomfortable and that’s what I plan to do. As someone that is self-employed, I guess you could say that I’m somewhat of a risk taker but even then, things can get repetitive and I’m ready to shake things up. This year, I’m excited to try new things!
Be More Creative
I feel like this is where I really shine. I love to create 😀 I’ve always been an artistic person and it’s one of those things that has always come so naturally to me whether that’s fine art, music or now, digital art…. and most of these things have also come to me very easily. However, in the past I have struggled immensely with photography and if you are a reader from the very beginning then you have seen my journey first hand as I learned, practiced and grew in this area. I’m not going to lie – it was a frustrating process. It took much longer than I anticipated but the reward was worth it. The funny thing is is that my photography, the very thing I struggled with for years, has become an identifying factor for my brand on a large scale and it’s become something that I’m very passionate about. So now, I’m in the same boat with my video editing. It’s not perfect and I have no idea what I’m doing most days but I’m enjoying the process of learning, practicing and perfecting soI will definitely be putting more focus on that this year. I also want to expand my mind creatively. A lot of times, I’m too scared to share my ideas out of fear of what others might think. I feel this has stunted my growth in this area so this year, I really want to share my content in new and interesting ways that is still true to who I am and what my brand is without feeling like I have to live up to certain expectation or do things a certain way.
Dream Big
In the past few years, I’ve had some deep issues uncovered and it’s been a journey to work through them. These issues – self-esteem, body image, people pleasing, feeling unworthy, etc – have undoubtably held me back from becoming my best self. However, I’m also a believer in divine timing and that everything happens for a reason. With each struggle and obstacle comes a resurgence of growth and learning. In the past, I’ve gotten down on myself for not being where I imagined myself to be at a certain time… but here’s the thing. Sometimes it has to work out that way. If we grow and learn through each experience, then sometimes it takes longer than anticipated to not only reach a goal but most importantly, to become confident in yourself and your abilities. I used to feel guilty for wanting to achieve my dreams, for being driven to succeed and for eventually reaping the benefits of working my butt off 16 hours a day every day. Not only did my lack of self-esteem hold me back, but so did the judgements (and perceived judgements) of other people. I’ve learned that we are all on a journey and that we are at different parts of that journey. If someone is successful, it doesn’t take away from your own success. It should drive it and inspire it. I was recently inspired by someone I know. I’ve been following her journey for a while and am in awe of what she has created for herself. In her, I saw myself – someone going from low self-esteem to someone exuding confidence and belief in herself as as result, everything else followed. I used to think that things couldn’t happen for me. Of course, I could help everyone else achieve their dreams with my knowledge and expertise but for whatever reason, I was always feeling held back. Her journey has re-inspired me and re-ignited the fire in me because it hit close to home. I immediately saw that things are possible for me too… but I need to stop holding myself back. This year, I have BIG goals and I’m not longer going to apologize for wanting to make them a reality.
2021 New Years Goals – Personal
Prioritize Health and Wellness
This is something that I’m always striving to do and while I’ve had various set backs (food allergies, broken toes, possible asthma, etc), I’m feeling like I’m finally in a good place to resume my health journey. The last couple of months have proved to be much better for my digestive issues and I’m starting to feel like myself again. When it comes to working out, I’ve found that I do better if it’s something that I’m interested in… which might mean cancelling my gym membership (already did) and doing more of the things that call out to me like yoga, pilates and hiking. As far as my diet, I’m finally in a place where I feel more experimental with the food I eat. For a while, I was terrified of getting sick so I stuck to the same foods over and over, but to be honest, that’s not much better in terms of health. And for my mental health, I would like to continue working on this. Although I had some physical health issues last year, I feel like most of my growth came through mental health. I went through some really rough times this past year and at some points, I felt like I was in tears every single day just wondering when things would feel better again and when I would feel like myself again. As a result of the current world circumstances, I’ve had more time to focus on myself – self care, stress management, anxiety, etc. In the most dire of circumstances, this has been such a blessing as it allowed me to really focus on and understand myself from the inside out. So many times, I’m going from task to another and I don’t have time to just sit and quiet my mind. This situation has completely changed me as a person in the best way. I’ve been starting each day off at a slower pace with a morning routine. My heart is filled with so much gratitude and after a tumultuous year, I feel like I am radiating joy once again. Meditation has helped a ton but I think the things that have shaped me the most are the situations I’ve gone through over the past few years.
Be Fearless
I have spent way too much of my life caring about what other people think – trying to please them and make them happy, thinking that my talents aren’t worthy of recognition or even feeling guilty when something good comes my way. I let what others think about me (or what I thought they thought about me) get in the way of my happiness and dictate my decisions. I feel like 2020 was a time where I really came to terms with this and realized that ultimately, I’m in control. This is my life and I don’t need to allow other people to influence my decisions. For so long, I felt like I was walking on eggshells because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone or hurt anyone’s feelings but as a result, I held myself back from doing the things that I loved and living life on my own terms. I’ve known this all along but it’s been really hard to fully become my own person without asking for permission to make a decision or being influenced by other’s thoughts of me. Like many people, my childhood had a huge affect on my relationship with other people and this has only started to become more prevalent in the past few years. But I’m not going to use that as an excuse any more. I don’t owe anyone else anything. This year, I am going to be fearless. I’m going to put the trust in myself to make my own decisions and I’m going to live life on my own terms. I don’t need to be pressured by other people or made to feel like I’m not enough in any way. I don’t need to seek anyone’s approval and I don’t want to live my life by seeking the validation of others. I am enough just as I am.
Be Confident
This has been a huge part of my journey over the last few years. As I mentioned, my self-esteem issues stem from my childhood and the crazy thing is that I never realized it until I looked deeper within myself from a different perspective. I could never understand why I couldn’t accept myself the way that I was or why I constantly picked myself apart or why I always felt like nothing I ever did was good enough. I have always been so hard on myself and looking back, I used to try to stand out and be the best at everything just so I could feel worthy. I got straight A’s all through school, I won awards for my art, I was praised for my musical abilities… but I never saw it. I could be the “best” at everything but still felt like it would never be enough. And it doesn’t stop there – I had the lowest self-esteem when it came to my looks and my body. There were certain parts that I didn’t like or was embarrassed about because comments were constantly made about it. I look back on old photos of myself in disbelief because at that time, no matter what size I was or how I looked, I still felt like it wasn’t good enough for my impossibly high, perfectionistic standards. And now, I would give anything to go back to that time and give myself a hug and tell myself that I was beautiful just the way I was. But like anything else, it’s a journey that we all have to go through and I’m still in the process of mine. As much as I love doing what I do, Instagram has been a huge culprit when it comes to body image. But right now, I”m feeling good and I plan to continue this journey not only this year but every year. I plan to take my life back – to be confident in my abilities, talents, successes and looks. And although I always thought I believed in myself, I don’t think I ever did. I thought that big things happened for other people. Not for me. But that’s just not true! I honestly feel like this will be the ultimate game changer for my entire life 🙂
Love Myself
This goes hand in hand with confidence but this year, I really want to hone in on the self-love. I’ve never “hated” myself per se but I always picked myself apart. I’ve been way too hard on myself and I don’t even know why. I’ve learned that I need to show myself grace and know that I am not perfect. I’m perfectly imperfect as we all are. This year, I want to embrace that and really own who I am. I want to make more time to do the things that bring my heart joy and less time allowing myself to be taken advantage of. I want to show myself love by putting in more effort to take care of myself, which may mean that I don’t always get everything crossed off my to do list because I feel like this is an important part of my journey. Instead of putting everyone and everything ahead of myself, I need to put myself first and know that it’s okay to do so.
Be Myself
This is another one that I’ve been working on for a few years and it’s pretty interesting because for the most part, I am myself. What you see on my blog, Instagram, Youtube, whatever – that’s me! 100%. I think my issue lies with vulnerability and showing more of my authentic self. Instagram stories has really been a struggle for me since the beginning. I feel like people don’t really want to see the “real” me… they just want to see “Lizzie in Lace.” It’s hard to know where to draw the line sometimes between public persona and private persona. How much is too much to share? What do people want to see and know about me? Will people not like me if I share other aspects of my personality? It’s just overwhelming and honestly, I know that I overthink it. I guess this is the struggle of caring about what others think (working on it lol!). And to be honest, I’m quite a private and reserved person by nature. I don’t always have a million things to share, my day to day life isn’t always the most exciting and I’m not always made up in full glam. But I think it’s important to share more of myself because I feel like this is where true connections are made and this is something that I feel like has been missing for a long time. I’ve been so scared that people will judge me, not like me, unfollow me, think differently about me or will think that I’m some sort of imposter. I really just want to free myself from these irrational thoughts and just be myself.
Let Go
Little by little, I’ve been letting go of various things that no longer serve me in my life. Friends, family, opportunities, etc. I’ve had to learn the hard way about what a healthy relationship looks like. For way too long, I was taken advantage of and made to feel inferior. In the past, I made really hard decisions to distance myself from others or to cut them out of my life permanently, even those that I was once close to. And at one point, I let it define me but now, enough time has passed to heal those wounds. For a while, I recognized the same patterns in various relationships and friendships and realized that in order to stop attracting these people, I have to change, evolve and heal as a person. This past year was very eye-opening in so many ways and in one of these instances, I decided that enough was enough. I closed my heart off to other people in an effort to protect it and now I’m ready to open it back up again. There have also been certain ideas, goals and situations that I’ve been attached to and tried to control to work out in the way I wanted. But life is funny in that way. All this time, I’ve been putting my energy toward something not realizing what I already have in front of me. Maybe this is a little out there, but I feel that I may already be living out my purpose. Looking back, things have happened in a certain way to get me to this place and I’ve been blind to that. This isn’t me giving up on anything but instead, this is me letting go of the constant control I feel I need in order to make things happen. I know that I’m on the right path to where I need to go and I have faith that things will work out to my benefit. I know that I was put here for a reason and that I have specific gifts, experiences and knowledge for a reason so instead of forcing things to happen, I’m letting go of the control and opening myself up to greater opportunities that may lie ahead.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed my 2021 New years goals 🙂 What are some of your 2021 New years goals? Do you have a word of the year?
xo
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