5 Goals for this Year

I don't like to call my goals for the year "New Year's Resolutions" because that term makes me think of a list of things I'll probably fall behind on come February, and things that aren't really that well-thought out enough to last more than a few weeks. So, instead I am defining the list of things I want to work on this year as goals that I hope to develop into habits by the end of 2018! As I talked about in yesterday's post, my overall outlook on this year is to be more present in each moment and to take life day by day, as they come. Here are five things I hope to do along the way:

Spend my Time Well | I wasn't sure how to phrase this one, but one of my biggest goals is to spend my time wisely, with a purpose each day. I spend a lot of time during school days lounging around my apartment, watching Netflix, mindlessly snacking, or doing something else that's simply just a waste of my time! I want to put more time this year towards blogging, studying, working out, trying something new, finding a new favorite spot, reading a book, making a new recipe, or anything really that gives my free time more value and productivity.

Find a Hair Solution | I have officially surrendered to say that my hair situation is nothing short of a disaster. People are constantly asking me if I got a haircut and I am convinced that my hair is growing upwards. (Remember when my hair looked like that^^ Ugh, gimme that back) My ends are destroyed, my hair will not grow, and I am very disappointed with how it has been looking lately to say the least. I plan to try new shampoos and conditioners (any recs?), and I just purchased a new bottle of Moroccan Oil to use after I wash my hair. Have any of you experienced similar hair problems? What worked for you?

Work Out 3x/Week | Would it really be a list of New Year's goals without something fitness related?! Last year, my workout schedule was decent but very, very inconsistent. I would work out 5 days in a row for example, and then not work out at all for weeks following. I would have days where I ran 8 miles no problem, and days where I couldn't run more than one. This year I am setting a goal for myself to fit in a sweat, even if just for 20 minutes, at least three times each week to keep things consistent and hopefully to develop some sort of routine that works for me. Right now I am telling myself that it doesn't matter if it's the first few days of the week in a row, or if I skip three days in between, but as long as I find three days to get moving, that is so much better than nothing at all, or too much all at once.

Read One Book/Month | This goes along with spending my time well, but I want to read at least one book each month this year. Maybe I will try reading before bed, or plan out my schedule to fit in a 30-minute chunk in the afternoon a few days a week. Whatever it is, I want to be more consistent in reading. I focused on reading more this summer and it made me feel so much better mentally (here is the post on the 5 books I read if you're interested). I love to read and I just don't do enough of it!

Limit Using my iPhone before Bed | I hate that I have to add this to the list, but I spend such an immense amount of time on my phone every night that I have probably lost hundreds of hours of sleep that could have really made a difference in my under-eyes :) I want to work on detaching from my phone before bed and instead take a few minutes to relax and reflect on my day before I fall asleep and start a new one! I think this will also help with my overall goal to be more present and to focus on being in the moment.

What are your goals for this year?

xoxo