Saturday, January 2, 2016

Hello 2016


Did you all have a good New Years? I hope so! I've been doing the goodbye/hello New Years posts since I started blogging. I would do a two in one post but they both always end up being too long for that. 

Tons of people are doing their 'New Years resolution' posts, and I'm here today to not call them resolutions, but rather share some goal and things I'd like to do this year. These goal are also not just for this year, but they will always be life long ones to. This post might get rather personal, but I consider all of you my friends so I don't mine sharing!

2016 goals and accomplishments

Books
I'm going to start this off on a more simple note and talk about books. I already mentioned in my goodbye 2015 post that each year I set a reading goal of how many books I want to read. These goal are usually a little high and I know I probably won't accomplish them, but it helps motivate me to read more! I read 20 books in 2015. This year I want to read 30 books and 15 mangas. Last year (that seems so weird to say lol!) I started watching some anime shows so it's making me want to read mangas too! I bought a box set of the Legend Of Zelda mangas last year and I read a few of them. I chose to start with those ones because Zelda has always been my favorite video game. Also- I already have one manga read this year! After I read some of those, Full Metal Alchemist and Attack on Titans are top on my list. I have tons of books on my list too, along with some favorites I want to re read.  

Travel
Who doesnt love vacations? I try to at least go some where each year. My husband and I at least go to northern Michigan during the spring/summer time usually on a long weekend. We try to go to difference cities each time. We've only been on two out of state vacations together which were Florida in 2013 for our honeymoon, and South Carolina in 2014. Last year we weren't able to go out of state so instead we traveled around Michigan for a week. This year id like to go out of state or even to an all inclusive resort somewhere in the Caribbean. I have a major fear of flying and my anxiety sky rockets when I'm on a plane. Even thinking about this, or typing it out gives me anxiety. I hope I can work on that this year too. 

Health & Fitness
I know everyone and their mother has health and fitness goals during the new year. I also know that you don't need a new year to start being healthy. However, it is a new year so I'm going to try my hardest. I've gotten into fitness and clean eating in the past but I've always been such a yoyo. Even though I do want to eat healthy, and I know I don't eat the heathliest it doesn't bother me much. I'm a believer that you shouldn't deprive yourself, and if I want to eat a donut you better bet your ass I'll eat that donut. However I'm going to try to make some healthier choices while still having a balanced diet. As far as fitness goes, I want to do more yoga and be more consistent with cardio and weightlifting. When it's nice out I want to go for walks outside and be in nature. Just be more active in general.

Being more present
How many times are we on our phones and social media when we are hanging out with loved ones? I try hard not to do this but sometimes it just happens. This is something I want to work on this year. I'll always be so thankful that I grew up without cell phones and social media even though it's something I love now. There were no such things as smart phones and Facebook when I had my first phone, and if I wanted to use the Internet (AOL anyone??) I was limited to 2 hours a day. I find it so sad that kids and teenagers now a days don't know what life was like before all of the tech craze. 

Blogging and YouTube 
I hate to say this but I've been super uninspired lately. I sometimes feel that my posts or videos feel half hearted and I don't want that. I don't like to post things when I feel like they are because that makes me unhappy. I think most of this is due to laziness. This year I really want to work on my YouTube channel and learning how to edit better and film different types of videos. And as for blogging, I want my posts to be more creative, and I want to learn how to take better photos for my blog. My friend Becky takes the most beautiful picture for her blog so that is what kind of inspired me to take better pictures. I'm trying to be more conscious of how my pictures look. I'm trying out different angles and settings so they don't just look so blah and standard.  

Journaling 
The last thing I'm going to talk about is journaling. I've been wanting to start a journal for some time now. I haven't started because I've just always felt like I wouldn't know what to write and I didnt want to feel pressured into writing if I didn't want to. I was inspired by one of my best friends Pilar because she wanted to start one this year too. I told her my thoughts of what I just said above, she told me a journal is what I make of it. There's no guidelines to it. That really made me realize how true that is and now I feel less pressured about it. I'm not good at writing out my feelings, unless I'm actually taking to some one so I'm not going to use my journal for that. My goal is to possibly write a little something each day that was good or made me happy!  Plus journal are cute and buying a new one always makes me excited, even though I hardly use them when I do. I'd also like to start drawing again. I'm definitely not an artist at all but I was hoping having a journal would help with that too! 

So I'm going to end this post by saying these are my goals for this year and my current thoughts about life. I know this was super long but it felt really nice to write this all out and talk about things! I'll be back soon with some beauty posts!  I also wanted to thank you all so so much for your love and support. I've made so many amazing friends through blogging and I can never be grateful enough!!

Do you have any goals for this year? If so, let me know what they are in he comments!

17 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Ashley! I think that these are good goals for the year! I think that you create wonderful videos and I look forward to you upcoming videos throughout the year! I'm glad I could help with inspiring you to write in a journal! I want to start writing in my within the upcoming week or so! I find Journaling so therapeutic! I wish you so much happiness and joy for 2016!

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    1. Happy New Years too Pilar! And thank you!!! And I'm glad you inspired me with the journal too! That's awesome you are going to start yours this week, I plan to do that too! I wish you tons of happiest this year too, you definitely deserve it!

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  2. Fullmetal is a good one! It's one of my favorite series. I remember reading some of the LoZ manga but I quickly forgot about them for some reason?? So I think I'll get back on those sometime, hehe.

    I'm rooting for you on the blogging/youtube! It's something I feel that everyone (even the big-time youtubers and bloggers) is constantly learning new things from it, and the old things can always be improved on. Keep going at it!

    I have a journal too - I used to be so picky about what I wrote because I always wanted it to be perfect. But it's much easier if you just let yourself loose and write whatever's on your mind. It doesn't have to be extremely detailed or "edited" because let's face it, who's gonna read it anyway (besides whenever our other halves are snooping around hahaha)?

    becky ♡ star violet

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    1. I'm so excited to read Full Metal!! I watched it on Netflix, and now I'm watching brotherhood which I heard is more close to the mangas. I can see how the LoZ would could be forgotten easily because I feel like there are better ones out there lol!! I like them but the game is definitely better!

      And thanks for rooting for me lol!! And you're right that everyone is constantly learning for stuff like that! I'm just so impatient when it comes to learning new things like that lol!! And you're right about the outrank thing too! No one would read it but I can see about wanting it all to be perfect!

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  3. the first step is to decide your goals, then write them, so you are already off to a good start!!

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  4. These are some really great goals, Ashley and I completely agree with being more present. I have been doing that a lot lately which is why I am not as present online anymore. Little tyke is getting older and we've ben spending lots of time outside. Good on you for including cardio and weight lifting with yoga, I've noticed that you've lost some weight in your recent pictures. :-)

    Reflection of Sanity | StayLean Tea Australia Giveaway

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    1. Thanks so much Shireen!! And I think it's important to be more present, especially with little ones around! Time goes by too quickly rot them! And oh wow thanks for noticing lol!! I think most of that is due to eating better most of the time too!!

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  5. oh ashley, never think your blog posts or videos are halfhearted. i think they are awesome and although I'm always a day late (LOL) I enjoy reading and looking at them. I learn and get so much inspiration from all of your post. They're extremely informative. Plus, you're sincere. You don't see that a lot anymore in blogging. I want to travel more also. There's so much to see out there. I envy you with the number of books you read. I think that is so good! If I can read 5 in a year, I'm doing good. LOL I wish you SUPER SUCCESS with all of your blog goals. You can do it girl! Have fun with them! :D Love Ya!
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

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    1. Thank you so much Kim!! I'm glad you form think they are half hearted, and I'm glad they inspire you! And hey any amount of books read during the year is still a good amount! I'm just happy to hear anyone reading! And you're right there is so much to see out there, traveling is amazing! And I wish you all the success too!!

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  6. Love this Ashley! I have also set goals for myself and blogging/YouTube. I think it's going to be challenging but I'm looking forward to growing this year. I wish you lots of success in 2016! xo

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    1. Thank you Lily! I'm looking forward to the challenges too! I wish you the best and tons of success too!!

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  7. I love your goals for this year Ashley! I definitely think being present is not something we always think about but it is so important! And thank you for inspiring me to set a reading goal for this year!! Happy New Year!

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    1. Thank you Margo! And I totally agree! And you're so welcome! It's nice to have a reading goal, but it's not one that's super pressured like a lot of other goals we make!

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  8. These are great goals, Ashley! I don't really do resolutions, but last year, my husband and I really wanted to get our finances in order and we were able to do it! This year, we're focusing on going to events in the area that we haven't done yet, like the state fair, holiday events, and stuff like that. I'm always so busy when those things come around, but I know I'm missing out.

    Also, a bit of an aside. I sang in a Legends of Zelda Symphony concert a couple of months ago, and it's really cool. It's music from the game, and they have a video of the game on a screen while the symphony is playing. The symphony gets performed all over the country, so you should go if you have a chance! I'm not really into gaming, and it was fun for me to be in it!

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    1. That is sooo cool you got to sing at a Zelda symphony, Lauren!! I'd love to go to one someday! I'll definitely look into them and see if I can find one where I live!

      And thank you! And that's awesome you guys were able to get your finances in order. And that's a great idea to try to go to more events where you live. I want to do that too!

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