2015 Goals & Resolutions

Well we are about a wk into the New Year and it's already looking to be a promising and busy year!  I'm feeling very optimistic about this year after ending last year on what I thought was a productive high note!  So just before the New Year I wrote about how I felt I did tackling last years goals and resolutions...now I'll talk about the plan for this year!

2015 Goals & Resolutions

Drink More Water - I know this is a pretty simple one but literally if I don't make a real effort to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day it won't happen.  It's kind of a pain in the butt for me sometimes b/c I then have to go to the washroom ALL THE TIME...and I feel like I already have to go to the washroom a ton lol!  But it's good for my skin, bloating and overall health so yeah really gonna try on this one.

Get Back In Shape - I'm still looking okay but I've put on about 10 pds w/ my trip and the holidays...it's time to kick it into high gear and get back on track.  Lose that weight and fit back into all my new "skinny" clothes...that are currently a bit tight I'll be honest lol.  Got a gym membership as it's way too cold for me to run outside right now so definitely hope to put that into use..the key for me is really to work out in the morning before other things start "getting in the way"...I always make excuses if I wait until later in the day.

Run Another Half Marathon - So I got through my last half marathon last year...want to do another this year and do it in under 2 hours!  That's my goal!

Stop Cyber Stalking So Much - Yeah we all do it...but I'll admit sometimes I get a little obsessed.  I need to leave certain things in the past and worry about my future.  This isn't just to do w/ exes it's about a lot of different ppl from all times of my life.  I need to stop concerning myself w/ other people and just worry about me and doing my thing!

Make Lists - I think this will really help me be more productive day to day b/c sometimes I think I don't have much to do and I end up wasting time when if I thought about it there's actually a lot of different projects I could tackle.  I think having lists and checking off stuff will make me feel and be more productive day to day

Practice and Revive Some of My Skills - Sometimes when we are busy we tend to just get in the habit of doing the hair and makeup styles that we know work and we can do quickly and well.  I need to keep up on some trends and learn some more tips and techniques.  As an artist it's important to always keep learning and practicing and I feel I've let this one fall away a bit in the last year.

Keep Better Track of Finances and Spending - I made more money this year than last year...my sales were definitely up but for some reason I also think I spent a lot more money too.  I want to keep better track of that and see where my spending it going and maybe adjust things accordingly.  And to go along w/ that I want to save more this year.  I definitely did a pretty good job this past year and I'm glad I know have a financial planner and I'm saving a certain amount every mth but of course I can always do better!

Expand the Wedding Business - Already talked about this one before and it's pretty much a goal every year but I don't really have a prob with that.  Now that I've changed everything to Toronto Beauty Group I really want the business to grow w/ my staff and my outsourcing of bookings.   I can only do so much so the only way it's really going to grow is with the staff!

Do Creatives & Network More - This is one that I openly said I failed at last year.  I've definitely put the "fashion" side of my career on the back burner b/c let's be real it's not the area I make much money with but I'm feeling way out of the Toronto fashion scene loop and I love doing creatives so in the coming mths I really want to reach out to photographers and stylists again start producing some creative and inspiring work!

Travel More - Yes...this is another one of those that I put down every year but every year I want to travel more so why not!  I do really want to work on maybe taking a couple of short get away trips a long with a nice vacation.  I really want to make a point to go to NYC at some point this year.  And I have no idea where I want my next big trip to be!

Blog More - Again another one I failed at miserably but as I mentioned these past few mths have sort of revived me so I'm feeling inspired again and I think that will lead into me blogging more as I won't think of it as so much of a chore or annoyance.

Decorate & De-clutter my Apt - Okay overall my apt. doesn't have a lot of clutter b/c I hate clutter but I do have a couple of pieces of furniture I need to get rid of...plus about 5 bags of clothes just sitting there lol!  Also, I'll admit one of my weaknesses is home decoration.  I moved a lot growing up and so I never decorated much...I've been in my place for almost 4 years now...I should at least put a freaking picture on the wall!!

I think that's a pretty good start for now lol!  I'm sure knowing me I'll add more as I think about it and the year progresses!

2014 - Reflections on the Past Year's Goals & Resolutions

Every year at this time I like to look back and reflect on the goals I set for myself for 2014.  I find it really interesting to look back and see if I overall achieved what I set out to do that year.  This is usually one of my fav blog posts every year and typically I find that I've done a pretty good job at nailing my goals.

Well I'll admit this year wasn't always an easy one for me in a lot of ways.  I actually kind of chuckled to myself at some of the goals I wrote for myself at the beginning of the year b/c I definitely know there's more work to be done lol!

First though I guess like any good teacher I should touch on the positive and talk about the Goals & Resolutions I do think I did "right"!

Exercise More - Although I've been a little off the bandwagon since my trip I'd definitely give myself a gold star for this one.  I ran a half marathon so right there I'm saying "Good Job, Jessica".  I may have kind of thrown the idea out there a bit before but I don't know if I ever thought I'd actually do it and I'm so happy I did.  Can't wait to beat my time next year!  And I can't believe I just started running a year ago pretty much!

Live a Healthier and More Balanced Lifestyle - Again overall I'm pretty happy with this one.  I did a juice cleanse back in March and since then I've reached a weight and size I don't know if I ever thought I'd see...again been a little off track since my trip but I'm confident I'll get back to that weight again - too many nice dresses and skinny jeans to fit into again ;)  This combined w/ the exercise has really been good for me this year!

Read More - I've definitely found the reading bug again and I'm happy about that.  Having my Kobo really does make a difference and it was great on my trip where I must have read at least 3 books.  I tend to go through phases where I read a ton and then go a couple of mths where I read nothing.  I really should try to read 1 book a month or something b/c truth is once I start reading a book I'll typically finish it in less than a wk.

 Travel More - Well even though I didn't do any small trips like I was hoping I did do a big 3 wk adventure to Central America and did 5 countries while there so I guess I'll give myself a pass on this one. Although I was definitely cutting it close since I only did the trip in late Nov/early Dec.

Network More Within The Bridal Industry - Well I didn't hit the 80 wedding mark like I was hoping for...only came in at 76 but I can tell from my sales that the weddings I was doing were definitely bigger than years past.  Plus I grew my team a little bit more and had more weddings for said team.  And as I mentioned yesterday I've been working on rebranding my wedding business to make it grow even bigger for everyone involved.  I've even networked a bit more w/ some of the other sections/industries in my biz and did a wedding creative so that's good.

So next I'll touch on some of the things I did okay on but definitely could have done better with.

Be More Productive - Most ppl who know me don't believe me when I say this...and maybe I am being too hard on myself but I think I'm actually incredibly lazy and waste a huge amount of time.  I definitely think I've been getting better at being productive.  Especially these past few mths since I got rid of a couple of the toxic things that were holding me back and stopping me from concentrating.  I really need to make lists for myself on a daily basis b/c I think that would help me do more and be more productive.

Stop Concerning Myself So Much With Other People - Not gonna lie this is still something I struggle with.  I've definitely found it helpful to actually just delete or block the feed of certain ppl on my facebook or instagram if I found them to be doing more harm than good to my well being. Although it may not be the most mature thing sometimes the best way for me to not get jealous or compare myself is just to delete and forget about them...although I do need to work on just living w/ it and being happy for everyone else and their success.  Typically I am happy for others success just sometimes when I'm in a down mood it's a bit much for me.

Stop Living In The Past - In some ways I've definitely been a lot better about this and than in other aspects of my life, specifically my last relationship I constantly keep running through "what if" scenarios in my head and that doesn't help anyone...especially me because it played out the way it did and I have to remind myself even if certain things didn't go down there would have probably been other issues at other points anyway.  Although, I'm not going to lie this one has been a hard one...especially during the holidays.

Cut Out Toxic Influences or People - Well even though I would have never put my ex into the "toxic people" category at this time last year b/c we were still together I guess how everything played out he kind of would be there now so I guess it's good we're not together.  Like I've said before I wish things had worked out differently in a lot of ways but they didn't and he was making me miserable, lonely, isolated and sad...and I didn't even realize it until everything was done.  I probably should have realized it sooner so there was definitely some toxicity in my life for several mths this year. And I know for a fact that toxicity definitely affected my productivity in every part of my life unfortunately.

The rest of the list is honestly things I think I failed at achieving pretty miserably lol.

Blog More - Yeah well I blogged less this year than any other year....like A LOT less...so yeah definitely failed at that one.  I think I was just going through so much I just didn't feel I had anything interesting to write about or share.  Hopefully that will change this year and I'll be re-inspired and reinvigorated!

Get More Commercial Work & Do More Creatives - Yeah was definitely not focusing on these things enough last year.  I think I only did 1 creative that got published.  It was a beautiful story but seriously I use to be doing that stuff all the time.  I did also do a wedding creative but I wasn't counting that one.  Commercial work...did a bit but again I really need to focus on this!  I was so busy in the Spring/Summer w/ the wedding stuff that it all got kind of sidetracked.  This is why I really want to start making lists so that I can check things off and be more productive!

Overall I guess I did okay.  Unlike last year I think I didn't necessarily start that strong but I definitely finished strong by time September hit...hopefully I can carry that momentum into next year!

Tomorrow I'll write my Goals & Resolutions for 2015!  Hope Everyone has a Wonderful New Year!

2014 - Goals, Resolutions & Reflections

One of my favourite blog posts every year has to be my New Years Goals & Reflections post.  I know it's sort of cheesy and most ppl hate resolutions so for the most part I make a habit to not call them resolutions (although I know it says resolutions in the title).

I still really like the idea of starting fresh and having a good look back at the year to kind of take stock in how I did, how I'm doing...what I want to do or achieve in the next year.  Sometimes even when I think I haven't accomplished much or I'm feeling a bit down about my progress I find it really does help to look back at the goals I set for myself...sometimes I even surprise myself and I'm actually pretty impressed w/ some of the things I've achieved.

So first I'd like to take a look back at last year's goals and see how I did on them!

Well my first goal for last year was To Live More In The Moment...I'll be honest I'm not actually quite sure how I did on this one.  I did travel a bit in the beginning of the year - took a trip to Malaysia and Singapore so I def. think that was spontaneous and adventurous.  The Summer was so busy it definitely felt like a big blur to be honest...I may have been living in the moment but that's only b/c I barely had any time to plan before something else came up lol!  I feel overall I enjoyed my year and did some fun and exciting things but I think I could have worked on this one a bit more.

Stop Comparing Myself To Others - This is definitely one that I'm going to have to keep w/ me for next year b/c I'll be honest in the beginning of the year or during the Summer when I was super busy this was easy to do but it's when it gets slower or I'm not as busy that this sort of thing can eat away at me and it's not helpful or productive for myself or my well-being.

Grow My Wedding Business - This is one goal I can definitely say I achieved. I didn't quite reach my 80 wedding mark but I did do 76 weddings this year...even though it was only 4 more wedding than last year the big difference here was that all 76 weddings were MINE...compared to other years where some of the weddings were wedding I worked for other artists and companies.  As well I did start to grow my wedding business roster and booked an additional 20 weddings w/ my staff!

Re-looking at my goals for last year I can kind of see why I've been feeling a bit down on myself the last couple of mths...the Summer was amazing but I'm not going to lie Nov & Dec were not great for me...I think a lot of it had to do w/ the fact that I really didn't achieve my goals for Commercial Work & Productivity.  Overall did I make more money this year - Yes...my business grew quite a bit but I know there is still so much more I can do!

One thing I definitely feel proud for finally getting on track w/ is Saving Money.  I pay my credit card in full every month.  All my debt besides one small student loan is paid off (and I'm working on that loan).  Plus I started saving for my future this year and even got a financial planner.

So re-looking at the year I definitely think I started out strong but then sort of lost steam near the end.  I need to look at why this happened...perhaps I was just a bit burnt out from the crazy Summer...perhaps it's other reasons.  All I know is that I have to make sure that doesn't happen again this year!  Which leads me to this years GOALS!  This years goals are a few from the past, a few that I want to continue to build on my from last year and a couple of new ones...lots to achieve in the upcoming mths!

GOALS for 2014

Cut Out Toxic Influences or People - If a person or thing isn't a positive influence on my life or pulls me into any sort of negative mindset or direction I need to cut it or them out.  Sometimes I find myself getting too caught up in negative things or people that don't actually matter when I should be focusing on and striving to improve relations w/ people and things that do matter. Overall I try to live a fairly optimistic and positive life so I don't want negative things creeping in and affecting that.

Live A Healthier and More Balanced Life - I think an overall theme for this year might be cutting out the bad and embracing the good.  Despite feeling somewhat down professional the last couple of mths I would say I've definitely gotten more balance in my health and well being.  I feel I'm finally on track to reach a few weight loss goals I've set for myself.  And before xmas I was down 15-20 pounds from the year before and even fitting into some jeans I haven't worn since my time in Shanghai! (I've put on a few pounds over the holidays though).  I want to keep on track and eat a cleaner and healthier diet...cut down on my sugar and bad carbs and exercise more.  I just need to find the balance between my personal life and my work life lol!  I have a problem where when one is good the other sort of falls away and vice versa...I need to work on this!

Exercise More - My boyfriend and I have started playing squash which is a good start and I'm happy to be doing that again.  We were running outside before this awful cold weather set in.  I really want to get back into the running and I want to run a half marathon this year at some point.  I don't know when exactly but I want to find one either in the Spring or Fall.  Plus I want to start doing my Insanity workout dvds again...it's freakin' cold out right now so I need to do something to keep me active!

Travel More...Even If It's Just Small Trips - The last few years I've definitely been traveling more and seen some really interesting places and met some really interesting people.  I think this year I'd like to mix it up w/ doing some small trips mixed in w/ some larger and more adventurous ones!  There might be a trip to Vancouver, Vegas and NYC this year...plus also the possibility of something in South America at some point...have to make sure these things become a reality and not just something that's talked about though!

Read More -  I got a Kobo for Christmas and I've already downloaded a bunch of books.  I know it's almost like working out to me (but for my mind)...once I get back into it it's not that hard I just need to get back in the habit of reading again.  I got a Kobo b/c I'll be honest I hate clutter and I just didn't want to collect anymore books in my place.  I think the idea of getting more books was actually holding me back from reading...as silly as it is.

Get More Commercial Work - I know I say this one EVERY year but it's an important one and to be honest the one I'm usually least satisfied w/ my success in.  I really need to network more...I know this...and I sort of hate this.  I'll be honest I'm somewhat of an introvert and this is probably one of things I have the most trouble w/ but I need to get over that and start making some new connections and meeting new photographers and production companies.  Plus I have to do a better job and keeping and building the business relationships I already have established.  I need to get over this idea that I'm "bugging people" lol.

Do More Creatives & Get Published More - In years past I've actually done a lot of creatives and seen my work in a bunch of publications but that is definitely something I let fall behind this year.  A large part of it had to do w/ the fact that I was spending so much time focusing on my wedding business and having that grow that I wasn't looking to do creatives or see my work in magazines...b/c well it doesn't actually pay anything lol!  I did however get editorials in both Noi.se Magazine and MEGA Man Magazine so that was pretty cool!  Plus I have plans to go to NYC this Aug. to work w/ Todd Anthony Tyler for a few upcoming projects for Numero Thailand so that could be pretty exciting!

Network More Within The Bridal Industry - My wedding biz has been growing steadily and somewhat rapidly over the past couple of years which if nothing else in my business life is something I'm pretty proud of.  But of course with anything there is always room for improvement. I want to bring my bridal business to the next level.  I want to do 80 weddings this year and I want to grow my team and the number of weddings they do as well!  I need to reach out to more wedding photographers and planners and possibly do some wedding creatives for publication and what not as I really want to elevate the level of my business.

Blog More - I'll admit I was somewhat lazy w/ this blog this year and there have even been points where I wondered if I wanted to keep it going.  Like working out sometimes I find it hard to start but once I get into the groove of blogging I really do enjoy it so I need to remember that and not look at it as such a chore sometimes b/c in truth it's suppose to be fun.  Plus I really need to make sure I do my Product Review blogs quicker...sometimes I've taken FAR too long to write a review on products I've received from companies.

Stop Living In the Past - I can't change certain decisions or outcomes for things that happened both personally or professionally in my past so I need to stop replaying them in my mind sometimes.  It's not productive to anyone and in fact it can be quite detrimental to not only my present but also my future.  I can only control the things I do today and how they will build for things in the future.

Stop Concerning Myself So Much With Other People - I need to really focus on ME...and stop comparing myself to everyone else out there.  I can only control my actions and my outcome so I need to block out the negativity I feel creeping in when I get jealous of other people's success.  I need to remember to be happy for other people's success whether it be personal or professional and not angry about it.  That's just a negative downward cycle that I don't want to be part of..and I'm actually a bit disappointed in myself that I've let it affect me at various times this year!

Be More Productive - Again another repeat from last year...but it's a big one and there is always room for improvement on this one!  Sometimes I feel the busier I am the more productive I am w/ my time.  It's when I'm less busy that I start wasting time more.  There are always things I can be doing for my business and I need to remember this instead of spending countless hours playing Candy Crush ;)

So that's a pretty big list for the year!  I feel good about it though and I think 2014 is going to be my best year yet!

Life Updated - Singapore, Malaysia and Now Back To Reality!

Yes...Yes, I know it's been a mth since I last blogged.  Not exactly a great start to the year so far on the blogging front I will admit but you know I just can't seem to make myself blog while backpacking through Asia...probably b/c I would have to do it from my phone and well that's just a pain in the butt lol!

So I'm back from another world adventure...a little wiser, a little older...hopefully a little more interesting.  This time I was off to Singapore and Malaysia to reconnect w/ my travel buddy Ole from my India tour.  You may remember he's backing packing for a year around the world.  So interesting b/c I met him at the VERY beginning of his adventure and now meeting him 100 days in I can see the change...so relaxed, no schedule, no stress...travel suits him well.  Although I'm not going to lie..being that I had only 2 wk (and not a yr) I would have liked if he'd maybe planned one or two things instead of leaving it totally up to chance lol!

So after a long (but actually pretty stress free) journey over to the other side of the world I arrived in Singapore at 1:30 am...there I met Ole at the airport who also arrived on a late night flight.  We headed to our hostel which was definitely "no frills" but it's Singapore and it's expensive so you know I wanted to keep things on the "cheaper" side there...this was actually the only place we had booked beforehand...probably b/c I took care of it...and I'm a planner lol.

Singapore is very different from the rest of South East Asia.  It's clean and modern and expensive...all the signs are in English...almost feels like you're not in Asia anymore.  Therefore we only planned to spend 2.5 days there!

Our first day found us just exploring the waterfront and China town.  But that night we got to meet up w/ my photographer friend Todd Anthony Tyler (resident judge on Asia's Next Top Model) and his wife.  So crazy that our trips in Singapore overlapped by 1 day and we were able to meet up for a drink before he headed back to Shanghai!  Can't believe I've been back here in Canada almost 4 yrs now...man time flies!  For Ole and I it was a real back packer treat to meet up w/ Todd b/c we got to go hang out in the Executive Lounge of the Swissotel where he was staying and get unlimited free drinks and food...yeah nice start to my trip to say the least lol!

Getting our Free drink on at the Swissotel

Next day we hit up Sentosa island...visited a huge ass aquarium and had a great time at Universal Studios...I esp. enjoyed the Transformers 3-D indoor ride...we did that one twice!

My camera doesn't do these creatures justice

Before Transformers 3-D ride...I hated the movie...loved the ride - go figure lol!

Day after we hit up the Singapore Zoo...and unfortunately our zoo trip was a little condensed after we unfortunately were delayed by an hr b/c of a broken down bus!  After the zoo a quick trip back to the hostel to grab our bags and then off to the airport and Malaysia!

I have a perverse love for taking pictures of animals trying to have sex lol!

This animal was just lying there...look how close I got to be w/ him!  Not going to lie though was a bit frightened he had some big claws lol!

One thing all the travel books will tell you...and I will tell you now from experience is that Malaysia is known for food...lots and lots of street food!  It's yummy, it's cheap and it's greasy...so great for back packing...not great for waistline lol!

Ever chance I got I drank a coconut!

First stop in Malaysia was of course the biggest city Kuala Lumpur aka KL...we only stayed there for two nights which was cool w/ me b/c I have to be honest I was over the city life at that point...I wanted some adventure!

Twin Towers in KL that we never actually got to go up b/c the viewings were sold out for the day :(

The plan after KL was to hit up the Perhentian Islands for some much need Sun, Sand and Relaxation...the reality unfortunately was much different then that :(  Upon arriving in Kota Bhure (the port town near the islands) we were in for an awakening..in the form of piss pouring rain...that pretty much never stopped...the whole time we were there...

It was so bad at first we were told we couldn't even get a ferry b/c the waters were too rough!  I'm not going to lie..I got a little stressed out...and may have consumed an abnormal amount of Peanut M&M's to calm my stress lol.  You see Ole may have a year to do what he pleases but I only had 2 wks so of course I want EVERY minute of it packed w/ fun, adventure and good times!  After about an hr of sitting in a the travel agency office we were told we were in luck there would be 1 ferry that day - Yeah!

I don't think if we knew what that ferry ride would have been like if we'd been as excited lol!  I'm not going to lie...I thought we were for sure going to tip or sink or something at some point during this 1+ hr ferry ride. I don't know what was better - me sitting inside dry but w/out a life jacket (as there weren't enough to go around) or Ole sitting outside getting soaked but w/ a life jacket.  The whole time in my crazy mind I was planning my escape route and how I would swim to shore when this boat was overtaken by a wave (which I felt was imminent)...After getting the chance to go in the water and play in the waves off the shore the following day I now realize this was very naive of me as I most surely would have drowned had this boat actually tipped...so thankfully it didn't lol.

So life on the island was not the paradise I would have hoped for...It pretty much rained NON STOP for 2 days straight.  There was a few hrs of dryness the first day and we enjoyed going for a walk around the island and playing in the water.  Most of our time though was spent in Ewan's cafe on the resort.  Very friendly staff, yummy food, cheap prices and wifi so I guess it wasn't a AWFUL.  But I'm not going to lie it wasn't great lol...this was an alcohol free island...there are only two things you want to do on an island when it's pouring rain - drink and have sex...I was partaking in neither activity...

The day came to leave the island and I was just hoping we'd be able to!  Thankfully the waves weren't bad so we actually took a speed boat back to the mainland...again a wet and windy journey to say the least...but we did both get life jackets this time lol...and it was MUCH quicker than the ferry!

During the boat ride off the island...YEAH we're leaving!

Yeah I have a life jacket this time!

Yeah for waterproof mascara ;)

After the island we wanted to do Cameron Highlands but unfortunately monsoon season was holding out longer than normal this year and the weather was not looking great there either...I don't think I could take another Perhentian debacle so we decided just to spend the rest of our trip on the West coast of Malaysia in Penang.

Penang was broken up into two sections:

Georgetown...where we enjoyed some much needed nightlife and alcohol after our "dry" time on the island...only thing that was dry on the island I  might add.  Met some interesting locals during late night walks back to the hotel, had great times at Monkey Bar and even met a crazy, old Australian who showed us a really good night at Slippery Senoritas - booth, bottle service...the works!  Plus we even made time during the day to visit the Butterfly Farm and Penang Hill...and of course visit the street hawkers for more food!

Looking like high rollers w/ our piles of money...only maybe $100 Canadian lol!

After the island I needed a drink so bad I got TWO!  Happy Hour Special ;)

Night Club Adventures

Blue Steel

Not going to lie I was not expecting, nor dressed for a night club event...I felt really gross and sweaty lol!

Penang Hill...Gorgeous Views

 Butterfly Farm

That "leaf" is a butterfly!

The butterflies LOVED Ole...I couldn't get them to land on me no matter how much I tried :(  He HATES this pic...exactly why I'm posting it ;)

Batu Ferringhi...where I ended my journey and spent the last few days getting that much needed sun and relaxation that I wanted so bad. Unfortunately, I think I tried to get a little too much sun a little too quick...my Canadian skin is definitely a lot more sensitive then it was in my youth and instead of achieving a nice golden brown I quickly became a painful lobster red :(

Giant Coconut!

By the pool..before the burn :(

This does not even begin to capture the level of red my skin was...I tried taking this of my back myself in the bathroom lol.  Love how the bikini top strings are even burned into my skin :( lol

Final Night Drink!  Thankfully my face didn't burn as I wear so many cosmetics that have SPF in them...see makeup is good for you ;)

And that is where the trip ends...a very different goodbye than last time...Ole continues on his journey currently in Cameron Highlands (jealous) and then off to Cambodia and Vietnam...even more jealous.

I'm not going to lie...it was definitely not the trip I was expecting or hoping for.  It wasn't India...but nothing ever will be...and it's somewhat sad to try and recapture a moment in time b/c you can't.  It's better just to leave it there and remember it fondly for what it was.  So if nothing else I walk away w/ another life lesson learned.

It was it's own journey...and there are some good memories and times w/ it as well so like many things in life it's better to just appreciate it on it's own terms then try to make it into something it's not.

And now back to reality...MANY updates to come!

Goals, Resolutions & Reflections 2012 Edition!

I know it's about a wk after New Years and usually I would have posted this sooner but after a crazy whirlwind Dec. I wanted to take a week off from the blog and just catch up on some things.  Every year I like to reflect on the past year - what I've accomplished, what I still need to work on, how far I've come etc.

I just re-read my post from last year about my Resolutions for the New Year and it really reminds me one of the reasons I love having a blog so much.  It's always so amazing and interesting to me go back and remind myself where I was at that point in my life.  What was going on, how I was feeling, where I saw myself going...all of that.

Last year I had such a sense of renewed optimism and I have to say for the most part I've really carried that through this entire year!  I still feel very optimistic about everything the future holds for me.  In general I think I'm a pretty optimistic person.  Sometimes, this surprises ppl b/c I am very blunt, sometimes harsh and a realist by nature but I'm also very positive and I do believe in striving to be the best you can and continually working towards the future whatever that may hold.

After re-reading last years Resolutions/Goals I think I did pretty well...but you know what I could have def. done better!  Let's talk about what I did well!

I def. accomplished my goals for my Bridal Business and Website!  I built a new bridal website and I think that helped the biz a lot!  My first year doing Bridal I worked on approx. 20 weddings and this year I kicked my goal to double that out of the water...by year end I had worked on approx. 48 weddings I believe!  Plus I already have several booked for this year already!  Last year at this time I had no weddings booked at this time!

I def. made more money!  I won't get into numbers but let's just say I almost doubled what I made last year from Makeup & Hair work!  No I'm not rolling in the $$$ trust me lol!  But that's a HUGE improvement and I did get more commercial/fashion paid work and I def. got more bridal work!  Plus I'm feeling very optimistic that that number will only continue to grow!

I updated my blog more!  And I think overall I was giving some pretty good content so I'm happy about that!  In fact last year I wrote more blog entries than any other year I've had the blog!

I've improved on my Hair Skills a ton!  As you all know I've even done several weddings where I've just done the hair!  Two years ago I never would have dreamed about that!  I do still need to work on the airbrushing though...I got some new airbrush foundations and I think that will make a HUGE difference b/c I was just NOT LOVING the brand I had!

I've def. stepped up and started paying off some of my debt so that makes me REALLY happy b/c anyone who knows me knows I HATE debt!  It took awhile just to catch up on things b/c I'm not going to lie the beg. of last year was really slow at first, plus there was moving to a new place and all the expenses that go along w/ that.  But now I'm on the right track and I'm feeling good!  I do need to start saving though...that's one area I still need to work on!

I've networked w/ more ppl in the biz but again it's an area I need to work on...I'll be honest ppl are surprised by this b/c one on one I'm quite outgoing and even a bit loud but I have a real problem at parties and events going up to ppl I don't know and talking...plus I have a weird phobia of the phone...I really don't know where I'd be w/out the internet I swear!

I didn't get an agent but you know what I'm not that sad about that one...it wasn't the right time and I did okay on my own...doesn't mean I'm not going to try again this year though ;)

The thing I actually probably didn't stick to the most was the working out and weight loss.  Disappointing I know esp. since I was doing so good at the end of last year!  This is the one thing I'd probably give myself an F on!  In 2010 I was really good about working out!  I was doing Boot Camp, I had a personal trainer at one point, I was going to the gym reg. I don't really know what went wrong on that front in 2011 so I'm not going to make excuses but just say that is def. NOT going to happen this year!  I literally live 1 min from my gym so there are NO EXCUSES!

Okay now on to my GOALS for this YEAR!

1. Travel More!  Traveling is REALLY important to me and that's one area I really neglected last year.  Probably b/c I was busy building my business and trying to catch up on the debt game but I'm going to make it a priority again this year!  The only trip I went on last year was a few days in Las Vegas in Feb...that was almost a year ago...that's not acceptable lol!

2. Learn Moderation in Living! I'm not going to make ABSOLUTES about Eating, Working Out & Weight Loss b/c I think that's a bit of my problem - I'm ALL or NOTHING!  When I'm on I'm on but when I'm off Holy Shit lol!  So this year I want to learn not to beat myself up if I have a bad meal or don't hit the gym 5 days/wk.  Of course I want to loss weight and get in better shape but I need to take baby steps.  I want to drink MORE WATER!  This is something I need to work on...and I actually have to make an effort to drink 8 glasses a day.  I need to take the stairs more...I did this in Shanghai and well it doesn't hurt lol. Eat for hunger not boredom or emotional reasons.

3. Grow My Business EVEN MORE!  I worked on approx. 48 Weddings last year - this year I want AT LEAST 60!  I also want to work on networking and building relationships more so that I can build my Commercial/Fashion business more.  Yes, I love my brides but I also need something to occupy more time during the wk lol!

4. MORE Self Promotion!  I think I'm okay at getting my name out there but I could do better.  This goes along w/ the networking but I want to find more ways to promote myself and "my brand".  Whether it's approaching ppl to do Guest Blog posts, reaching out to brands to collaborate w/ or just meeting new ppl.

5. Debt & Savings! I WILL pay off my Line of Credit this Year!  And I WILL start Saving more aggressively for the Future!  Overall I'll be honest I am pretty good and living within my means and budgeting my money...I'm proud of that b/c there are A LOT of ppl who aren't!

6. Read More!  I know this sounds kind of silly but I really feel like I'm not evolving mentally enough lately and I think it's b/c I'm not reading as much as I use to.  I'm a curious person and I want to start reading more again and just overall keep myself up-to-date on current events and the world around me.  I'm part of what can be a very superficial business and I don't want to let myself become too ill informed or lazy intellectually. I also just feel sometimes like my language and vocabulary skills are going to shit...I only speak one language as it is, it would be nice if I was fluent in it lol!

I think that's a good start there!  Those are all pretty big Goals w/ multiple steps and levels...I'm sure as the year goes on the list will grow and change for me but I'm curious to see next year where I'll be and what will have changed!

Good Luck & Happy Belated New Years to Everyone!  Many New Posts w/ New & Exciting Work to Come!