2017 + 2018

2017 in review + 2018 goals:

 

I’m always intrigued by the concept of time. How it goes slow and fast all at once.

Over the last week or so, I’ve been thinking about goals. How 2017 went and what I hope for 2018. 

I didn’t complete all of the goals I made for 2017 and it’s frustrating, but I’ve tried to give myself grace and accept change is a part of the process. 

Hard parts of 2017:

Changing my goals so early in the year was hard. I felt like I was giving up and not trying hard enough to go after what I wanted. Letting go of the possibility of what I could’ve accomplished was rough. I think I’m most disappointed I wasn’t able to run 1,000 miles.  

Best parts of 2017:

I had decided I wanted to take a break from the stress of trying to get pregnant and rather than dwelling on how I wasn’t getting pregnant, taking advantage of all of the things I could do instead. So hands down, the best part of 2017, was traveling. I LOVED experiencing 12+ trips in 2017. I wish I could keep this up forever, so anyone who wants to pay me to travel, hit me up! ;) 

I wanted to create a lifestyle I would be jealous of if someone else was living it. With this, I wanted to say yes more and take advantage of experiences presented. Because of this, I tried new things, participated in Questival (so fun), went to Paris, and more.

Honestly, I’m happy to say 2017 was full of “best parts”. It wasn’t easy and took a lot of work, but I have a lot of wonderful memories to look back on. 

Top favorites: our trip to the Bahamas, running with Jared Ward (Olympic athlete), buying myself a nice camera, all of the times Mike and I were able to spend quality time together, Questival, my trip to Paris, my sister + brother-in-law moving back to the states, and our family trip to Disneyland.

 

I have some high expectations for 2018 and I hope I am able to see everything I set out for fulfilled. My theme for 2018 is: whole hearted living. I have focused the majority of my time over the last few years on my happiness and while that will be one component this year, I also want to focus on peace and love. My plan is to break the year up in thirds and do some learning and new practices in each area. I plan to start the year focusing on love, moving to happiness, and finishing with peace.

In addition to my overall theme, I have set some personal goals I would like to see accomplished as well. 

2018 goals:

              Knowledge:

• Complete the POPSUGAR 2018 reading challenge

 

        Spiritual:

• Attend the temple at least once per month

 

  Physical:

• Run more than 822 miles (most mileage to date)
• Trilogize with Runtastic
• Go to the dentist
• Go to the optometrist

 

   Fun:

• Create a bucket list (with Mike) and cross off at least one item
• Travel to 3 places we’ve never been to together
• Finish 2017 scrapbook, scrapbook 2018, and create books for 2013-2016

 

   Financial:

• Create 72 hour kits
• Have a no spend month
• Book 12 photography sessions

 

 

 

I would like to set one more goal in my knowledge and spiritual sections. Any ideas?

Have you set goals for the upcoming year? If so, share them with me in the comments below! 

Here’s to making 2018 our year!

2017 ch 12

I will keep this brief as I plan to post a general review of the year. 

Goodbye December and goodbye 2017.

This month I pretty much accomplished one goal. And I’m okay with it. I will start over next month. 

READ: 

I read one book this month (assuming I finish it this week)

The Gospel at 3,000 feet by Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

Next year I’m participating in a reading challenge again! 

RUN: 

I’ve run a whopping 5 miles so far this month, but plan to get out a couple more times. Here’s hoping next year goes a little better! 

SCRAPBOOK: 

Nope. But my pictures are all printed out and current. 

TRAVEL:

Yes! We enjoyed a warm week in California. Disney was so incredibly crowded, but it was fun to see dressed up for Christmas. I loved the beach and all of the time mike and I were able to spend together. Sadly we have a travel break for awhile now. 

I feel like I was present this month. I participated in the Light the World campaign and spent quite a bit of time with friends. I’m ready to take on the challenges and changes next year will bring. :) 

12 things I learned from traveling every month for a year

12 things I learned from traveling every month for a year:

 In 2017 I made it a goal to travel once a month for the full year. I began the year by listing some of the places I wanted to travel to. Looking at the list, I felt overwhelmed, excited, and honestly had no clue how I was going to pull it off. While my husband and I both worked, we didn’t have a lot of extra spending money and we were both new in our jobs so we didn’t have a lot of vacation days. I had the first three months set in stone and decided I would figure the rest out as the year went along. This was the goal I was most looking forward to and after completing it, it’s my favorite goal I’ve accomplished. I have always loved to travel and after spending so much time with it this year, I’ve learned quite a bit from it. Here are my 12 take-aways from traveling each month for a year. 

 

1.       It’s possible if you make it a priority 

I had a lot of people (myself included) wonder how I was going to make this work. Traveling can be expensive and it is time consuming. I knew early on if I wanted to travel each month, I would need to make it one of my top priorities. This meant less eating out, cheaper date nights, less shopping, searching for deals, traveling with others, and taking advantage of weekends. 9 of my trips ended up being weekend get-aways, preventing me from using any of my vacation days. (I often travelled on a holiday weekend to ensure I had the most time possible). I started following Instagram feeds that posted airfare deals, I found other people who wanted to come with me, who would share a hotel room, and we drove whenever possible. 

Ultimately, what I learned is it is possible to travel often, if you’re motivated enough to cut your spending somewhere else and if you’re able to say goodbye to lazy/busy weekends at home. 

2. Travel isn’t always luxurious, and most of the time it’s not at all. 

I know some people do have luxurious travel and are able to afford tours and nice hotels, but that’s not me. My travel includes affordable airfare, moderate hotels (or Airbnb) and lots of budgeting! Flying can be exhausting, driving can be exhausting, learning where to go once you get to your destination can be exhausting, and walking around all day can be exhausting. Social media makes travel look so glamorous and wonderful and while I love to travel, most of the time it’s not glamorous. And while it’s wonderful, it can also be tiring and hard. 

3.       There’s so much beauty to see

This year my eyes have been opened to just how beautiful this world really is. I know that’s a cheesy thing to say, but there is beauty everywhere. Whether it was a staircase from the 1700s in the Bahamas, arches in Utah, or the beautiful history of Paris; this world offers a lot. Not only are the buildings, structures, cities beautiful, but the people are as well. Which leads me to #4.

4.       This world is good. People are good. 

There’s nothing like traveling, especially to another country, to leave you feeling sometimes helpless or lost. In those moments (as well as others) it’s easy to see how good the world can be. My sister and I were in Paris, with no cell reception or internet, trying to figure out how to coordinate with our AirBnB hostess. We were exhausted after what ended up being more than a day of unplanned travel and wandered into a park trying to find someone to help us. We asked a woman if there were pay phones or somewhere close with free wifi. She took the number we had, called the man, and let him know we were there. As neither of us spoke French, this was so helpful! I witnessed so much good like this all over. 

5.       There’s adventure in your own backyard. 

Traveling this much for me, meant I needed to stick close to home for many of my trips. We went to 3 places in Utah and 1 in Idaho I had never visited. You don’t have to travel far to travel. In fact, I could probably spend every weekend of my life traveling Utah without seeing it in its entirety. Sometimes we think of travel as some far off place, but it doesn’t have to be. Wherever you live, pick a new place and go. I guarantee there is something for you to experience. Traveling around Utah was one of my highlights from the year. 

6.       You can travel to the same place twice and still see something new 

During this year of travel, I visited 7 places I had already been to before. In several of these places, we tried new things, visited new places, and had different experiences. We went off the beaten path and learned there’s more than meets the eye in many places. For one trip, we went to Las Vegas. Rather than staying on the strip, gambling, or going to shows, we went hiking at Red Rock and took the drive to Seven Magic Mountains. While we did visit the strip for a dinner buffet, we didn’t spend our time there, we didn’t even stay on the strip. It was Vegas in a new way and I loved it! 

7.       It doesn’t have to be expensive 

Often, when people think of traveling, one of the first thoughts is it’s too expensive. What I learned this year is traveling doesn’t have to be expensive. I took several trips where I spent less than $200 total. Some tips to save money? Travel with others. This way you can split gas, hotel rooms, and activity costs. Shop around. I live in Utah and follow the Instagram account: flightsfromhome.slc This resource helped me fly roundtrip to Paris for under $500. Use AirBnB. Often, AirBnB is cheaper than hotels. You get to live like a local and often have a kitchen so you can make your own meals rather than eating out. Stay close to home. If you’re budget restrains you from spending too much, stay in state. I guarantee there are plenty of things to see and do in your own backyard. 

8.       You build stronger relationships with the person you travel with 

I primarily traveled with my husband, but also took trips with other family members. My relationships with each person I traveled with was strengthened. Sometimes traveling is hard and having someone stick it out with you brings you closer. Travel also brings inside jokes and new experiences. Research shows when you experience something new with someone, your bond is strengthened. The memories you make with your travel companion(s) will last forever. 

9.       Travel brings wealth 

Have you ever heard the quote: “Travel: it’s the only thing you can spend money on that will make you richer”. In my time I’ve spent traveling this year, I’ve found this to be true. I have less money in my pocket than I would’ve had I saved every dollar I spent on travel, however I feel like the experiences I’ve had have made me a better, well rounded person. These experiences have brought a wealthy money can’t buy. 

10.   Travel allows you to try new things/new experiences 

When I travel I like to try new food, walk through regular neighborhoods, and do what the locals do. I’ve found this is the best way to experience a new place. While I still play tourist and visit all of the popular sites, I know there is more out there. I went to Rome a few years ago and tried this lasagna that didn’t necessarily look great, but it looked better than the alternative. I tasted it and it was (and still is) the most delicious lasagna I’ve ever had. When you travel, don’t be afraid to try something new. The experience is worth it!

11.   Travel takes you out of your comfort zone

I hate talking to strangers. I hate getting lost. I don’t like trying new foods. I could go on and on. But travel usually forces you out of your comfort zone. Especially if you want to make the most of it. And it’s okay. Going out of your comfort zone helps you to grow as a person and again, it can give you memorable experiences you wouldn’t have otherwise had. 

12.   It’s good for your mental health + makes you happier

My favorite. I found in traveling every month for a year that traveling does make you happier! Taking the time to give yourself a break for the hustle and bustle of everyday life can do wonders for your mental health! Travel doesn’t need to be stressful and can be as relaxing or as busy as you make it out to be. I’ve found by taking time each month to get away, even for a weekend, I’m able to concentrate on my work better. 

 This year my travels took me to: the Bahamas, Arizona, Moab (UT), Las Vegas, Vernal and Capitol Reef (UT), Idaho, Cedar City (UT), Lake Powell (UT), Paris, Zions (UT), Midway (UT), and California 

So if you’re wondering, should I take that trip or not? The answer is yes. Do it! Travelling is worth every penny you spend. Make it a goal to travel somewhere new this next year. 

What have you learned from traveling? Share in the comments below. 

 

2017 ch 11

November marks the time where I start thinking about goals for the next year and begin to reflect on my progress from the goals of the current year. I’m not sure how we got here. This year seems like it should only be halfway over. And this month in particular? Wasn’t it just the first week in November? Looking back, I don’t feel like I did a great job being purposeful with my time this month. I’ve been tired, sick, and finding excuses not to do things. Oops…. But it’s okay, because next month is a new month and I have the chance to try again. 

 

READ:

I didn’t read at all this month. See what I mean by slacking? Last week I realized I hadn’t read a book yet and that this was the first month in who knows how long I hadn’t read a book and yet I still didn’t even start reading one! I guess I’m giving myself a break before next year’s reading challenge? 

 

RUN:

Again, I didn’t run much. I keep getting colds that go into my lungs and sinuses so I haven’t been able to run much. However, I did run a half marathon! Mike and I ran with some of my family on Thanksgiving and even though it was hard, I had a huge sense of accomplishment for running a race on Thanksgiving. Mike did so great and I was glad he ran it with me!

 

SCRAPBOOK:

Wait what? Haha. I ran out of materials and whenever I would buy more and sit down to do it, I realized I was out of something else. But, I did make progress and at least started some of Paris. Luckily October and November should be quick! Making it a goal to get through October by the end of December! 

 

TRAVEL:

Mike is so sick of traveling. And it’s okay, because this was really my goal, not his and he’s come with me on every trip minus one. So, we kept it nice and close this year. Our staycation ended up being so much fun! We stayed at the Homestead Resort, went swimming in the crater, had the best Mexican food, then enjoyed a Doug Loves Movies show. It was so fun spending the weekend together, doing things we wouldn’t normally do. Next month is Disneyland and I’m literally counting down the days!

 

I’m glad I have one more month to push through on my goals (especially scrapbooking). I’ve started thinking of my goals for next year and have decided on a theme. It’s going to be a big year. A year with some changes and challenges, but it should be good. 

My ultimate goal for next month? Stay present. I love Christmas and all that it entails, but I want to ensure I am living in the moment and not through social media. I plan to participate in the Light the World campaign, which I’m excited for. Read more about it here: https://www.mormon.org/christmas/25-ways-25-days/day-1

 

What’s one thing you like to do with your family in the month of December? Share it with me in the comments below! I love new suggestions! 

STAYCATION

I tried something a little different for this month’s travel. Rather than writing a full post about our staycation, I made a quick video. I had fun filming bits of what we did, so I plan to do this more in the future. 

Feel free to drop a comment with questions! 

https://youtu.be/ozihDnCAtGo

2017 ch 10

There’s only two more months of 2017 and I don’t even know how that happened. It’s time to think about goals for next year, I don’t even know where to begin. Usually by this time of the year I have a plan and I start to get excited. Anyone else out there thinking about next year? 

Well so anyway, this month has literally flown by. I was sick for half of the month, so I don’t feel like I fully enjoyed it. 

READ: 

This month I read one book; The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes. It was really good! It takes place in two different time periods. 

RUN:

Hahahahahhaa. Running was almost nonexistent in October due to being sick. I did run a half marathon and it went pretty well. I was happy with my time considering I didn’t train at all. I have one more half left this year! Come run with me! It’s on thanksgiving so you can earn your turkey! 

SCRAPBOOK:

I’m not caught up, because, Paris. But I’m not too far behind. I was worried I wouldn’t keep this goal up, but I’m happy I have because I love looking back on my pictures! 

BLOG/JOURNAL:

Still going well! I’m far from perfect on writing every week, but I’ve been doing pretty well. Next year I want to try blogging more than once/month. 

TRAVEL:

I’m so sad this year is almost over. I’ve loved traveling every month, it’s been so amazing to visit new places (and old favorites) this month we went to Zions (my first time) and I loved it! If you haven’t been, add it to your list. 

I’m happy with the way this year has gone and although I don’t have many goals set for next year, I have some ideas. Have you started thinking about your goals yet? Any ideas for me? I like to set goals related to my: physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional wel-being. 

Do you have a favorite goal you’ve set in the past? I would love to hear! 

PARIS

PARIS:

Do’s & Don’ts 

+

4 Day Itinerary 

 

Oh, Paris. You’re such a beautiful city, with a rich history. I went to Paris assuming I would enjoy it as I had other European cities, I didn’t realize how much I would love it. Paris is beautiful. The food, people, history, parks, buildings, everything. 

I may be new to this whole Paris thing, but here’s what I learned from my time there.

 

DO:

 

1. Use the metro! When using the metro, buy the carte metro pack. I went with my sister and we used two packs in our 5 days in Paris. The metro made traveling between sites further away from each other easy. We walked when we were able, but took advantage of the metro as well. 
2. Visit all of the tourist sites you’ve heard about. It’s all worth it. I will leave our itinerary at the bottom of this post. My top favorites: Notre Dame, the Catacombs, and Sainte Chappelle.
3. Eat local whenever possible and often. We had so much delicious food while we were in Paris. My favorite? The French onion soup from LA source. We also sampled crème brulee, gelato, eclairs, macaroons, crepes, etc. We tried several places and ate snacks throughout the day as we wanted to eat as much as we could!  
4. We stayed in an AirBNB and loved it! We were about a 10-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower and right next to several eateries and the metro.
5. Take a day trip! We took 3: Giverny, Versailles, and Disneyland Paris…..all worth it!
6. Download the Get Out of the Line app (see more on day 2)
7. Buy a guidebook. I used Rick Steves book on Paris 
   
    

 

AVOID: (not worth it) 

 

1. Angelina’s. I had heard the hot chocolate was divine, it was so rich. Too rich. I only had a few sips and had to throw the rest away. (But if you really want to try it, they have a location at Versailles)
2. There will be many people trying to sell low-quality souvenirs around the Eiffel Tower. If you’re going to buy a souvenir, get one somewhere else. I promise you can find miniature Eiffel Towers other places, and the quality will be better. (I ended up buying a hat from a small souvenir shop and grabbed a small Eiffel Tower and they gave it to me for free)
3. If Sacre Coeur isn’t on your list, I would say it’s okay to miss. You can see views in many other places throughout Paris.

 

 

We ended up losing a day from our original itinerary, so I will show what we ended up doing. Our original plan spread the museums out and gave us more time in some areas. All in all, we were in Paris for 4 ½ days. I think one more full day, would’ve been perfect! 

 

Actual itinerary: 

 

DAY 1: Friday 

Arrived in the early afternoon. Checked into our AirBNB

Visited Musee d’Orsay, Musee d’Orangerie, and the Louvre 

Dinner at LA Source (49 Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, 75007 Paris, France)

We were exhausted when we finally got into Paris as our connecting flight had been cancelled and we were lacking in sleep. We decided to hit all of the museums in one shot. I wish we had been able to space them out more and I would recommend not seeing them all one after the other. If you haven’t heard of the Orangerie museum, it has works from Claude Monet. I love his art and wanted to stop by the small museum to see more of it. We bought a joint pass for the Orangerie and Orsay museums for 16 euros. We could’ve and should’ve spent more time at the Louvre, but our exhaustion got the better of us.

LA Source had delicious French onion soup! We also had crème brulee there.

 

DAY 2: Saturday

Notre Dame- (get the out of the line app, which will let you make a reservation/get in line on your phone). Climbing the bell tower was one of my highlights of the whole trip.

Lunch at: Bertrands (10 Rue Lagrange, 75005 Paris, France). Make sure to grab some macaroons!

Shakespeare Book Co (where famous writer used to hang out)

Walked around the Latin Quarter and had gelato at Amorino (gelato shaped like a rose)

Sainte Chappelle- (which houses the most beautiful stained glass I have ever seen) I would’ve loved to spend more time admiring it all.

Catacombs- (we booked a skip the line tour through Viator and found it worth the cost) If you go to the Catacombs on your own, make sure you pay for the audio guide so you can learn all of the history. The Catacombs were another highlight for me. 

Luxembourg Gardens/palace- This was a lovely park. We sat down to enjoy as we planned out our evening.

Pantheon- it had closed for the day, so we enjoyed it from the outside. *It is right next to Luxembourg Gardens

Arc de Triomphe and the Champs de Elysees- Did you know the McDonalds on the Champs de Elysees is the most profitable in all of the world? We stopped in for some macaroons, they are inexpensive and were surprisingly good. 

 

DAY 3: Sunday

We took a day trip to Giverny to see Claude Monet’s home and water garden. The train will take you to Vernon, where you will then find transport to Giverny. We used le Petit train, which we loved! The gardens were so beautiful and it was nice to see a different part of France. I would recommend this as a day trip if you have time.

Sacre Ceour- (we climbed the dome for the view) It took us a long time to find the cathedral, so once we arrived, it was almost a disappointment. It was rainy and a little hazy so we didn’t have a good view. Ultimately for me, it was my least favorite part of the trip, but I think I would’ve liked it better if we found it easier. Walking around, did give us an opportunity to see Montemarte. We enjoyed street crepes.

Eiffel Tower (day time and evening) We didn’t go up the Eiffel Tower, so that may be something I do next time. I knew I wanted a good view of the city, but I wanted the Eiffel Tower in the view. **Make sure you see the Eiffel Tower on the hour in the evening as it lights up and sparkles for 5 minutes each hour.

 

DAY 4: Monday

Disneyland, Paris

I love Disneyland, so this was so much fun for me. It rained half of the day, but we still managed to have fun. Disney Paris is smaller than Disneyland, but I almost liked it more. The food is different and it was cheaper. I was glad we were able to go. You can visit Disneyland, Paris by metro/train…it’s very easy to find!

 

DAY 5: Tuesday

Versailles (we ate at Angelina’s and Laduree while there)

Versailles was so lavish. I took AP European History and it was fun to visit Versailles as I was able to see the table the Treaty of Versailles was signed on. I enjoyed having a brush up on the history and the palace was amazing! We booked a private tour and enjoyed the extra history we learned. (It also helped us skip the line). We didn’t walk into the gardens as we were a little pressed for time, but I think next time, it would be something I do. Angelina’s and Laduree are both at Versailles, so we took advantage of both. Laduree really is that good.

Paris, LDS temple- As I’m Mormon (see more at lds.org), it was nice to be able to walk over to the LDS temple from Versailles.

Rue Cler- This is an older market-style street. It was close to where we stayed and we wanted to ensure a visit to A La Mere de Famille (candy shop that has been in Paris for a long time)

 

*Food places worth eating*

LA Source 

Bertrand’s

Laduree 

Amorino 

Le Petit Cler

 

Truthfully, I could’ve spent more time in Paris, but I think 5 full days would give you plenty of time to see what you want, with at least 1-day trip.

 

Paris was amazing and I can’t wait to go back! Have you been? Leave your recommendations in the comments below! 

RUN • 2017

Run 2017

If you’re a runner, there’s nothing better than the perfect playlist! And if you’re not...there’s nothing better than a perfect playlist. Here’s what I’ve been running to the last few months. This playlist is about 2 hours, perfect to get that sub 2! 

This playlist has a good mix of old and new, well-known and not. 

Vindicated- Dashboard Confessional 

Thunder- Imagine Dragons 

Boom clap- Charli XCX

Midnight city- M83

Bored to death- Blink 182

Don’t take the money- Bleachers

A little respect- Erasure 

Wish I knew you- The revivalists 

Good intentions- The Chainsmokers 

Some kind of heaven- Hurts 

Fire escape- Andrew McMahon in the wilderness 

On top of the world- Imagine Dragons 

Brooklyn, you’re killing me- Andrew McMahon in the wilderness 

Walking in a dream- Empire of the Sun 

Body like a back road- Sam Hunt 

All the small things- Blink 182 

Could have been me- The Struts 

Different colors- Walk the Moon

Rollercoaster- Bleachers 

Young blood- The Naked and Famous 

Look what you made me do- Taylor Swift 

Dark blue- Jack’s Mannequin 

Can’t stop the feeling- Justin Timberlake 

How far we’ve come- Matchbox 20

I miss those days- Bleachers 

One of us- New Politics

Cut to the feeling- Carly Rae Jepsen 

Loaded gun- Tyler Hilton 

Holiday from real- Jack’s Mannequin 

She’s out of her mind- Blink 182

Work this body- Walk the Moon 

Swing swing- The All American Rejects 

All the small things- Blink 182

Until you were gone- The Chainsmokers

Spirit in the sky- Norman Greenbaum 

Happy running! 

2017 ch. 9

"It's not about the goal. It's about becoming the type of person that can 

accomplish the goal." -Tony Robbins 

Not sure how it's already October. Because where did this year go? I literally say that every month, but time just goes by too dang fast. 

September was a fun month! Day trip to Logan, birthday month, favorite race, oh and Paris. (it's own blog all in good time) 

READ

I read some new books in September:

Better than Before- Gretchen Rubin 

Trauma Stewardship- Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky 

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up- Marie Kondo 

I enjoyed Better than Before. I love Gretchen Rubin. But like I said, I'm in a personal development phase this year. I read Trauma Stewardship for work and it was good too, but I don't know that I would recommend it to someone outside of the social services field. Last I read Marie Kondo's book. I was a little intrigued by it because of it's popularity. It gave me some ideas to declutter, but it's also intense. haha. 

12 new authors read this year is done! WHOOO! Always a nice feeling to finish a goal. :) 

RUN

I ran my freebie race this month. I had said only new races, with one freebie. I had been saving it for Big Cottonwood because it's my favorite! I didn't PR or even do as well as last year, but it's okay because it was beautiful and fun as always. I can't wait to go for that PR next year. 

Next up is the haunted half SLC! Want to run with me? There's a 5k! Message me for my link! I'm also running Thankful 13, so you have time to train for that one! :) 

SCRAPBOOK

I'm kind of behind on this one again. It's been a busy month. But September pictures are ordered. In October I will be working on getting my 2013 scrapbook ordered. 

BLOG/JOURNAL

Somehow, I'm still going with this. Every once in awhile I skip a week, but I've managed to make it up. I don't know that I (or anyone else) will read what I write, but there's research that journaling is good for your mental health, so there's that. 

TRAVEL

And last's the best of all. Paris. Oh Paris. Paris was a dream. It was beautiful. Delicious. Friendly. Historic. Everything just wonderful! I can't wait to get back there! I plan to blog ALLLLL about Paris so I won't bore you here. But it was the best. Next up is a quick trip to Zions, which has been on my list for such a long time. 

So, there you go. Slow and steady progress for the year, but progress is progress. There's 3 months left in the year, which is definitely enough time to set a goal. Set one today. It's amazing all you can accomplish by setting one small goal. I've started thinking about what I want to do next year and it's getting me excited. 

Need help reaching your goals? Reach out, I'd love to help! 

Happy Fall!

Happy fall! 

I love this time of year. Sweaters, scarves, soups, chili, blankets...everything cuddly! 

This year I am excited to spend time with the people I love, doing fall activities I love. 

Here's my fall list for the year: 

• Gardner Village 
• Oktoberfest
• Utah State Fair 
• Caramel apples 
• Make apple cider 
• Caramel apple spice from Starbucks 
• Take a fall foliage drive 
• Visit Millcreek Canyon 
• Bake a fall pie 
• Visit a pumpkin patch 
• Visit a corn maze
• Carve a pumpkin 
• Take a fall hike 
• Watch: Its the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown, House on haunted hill, Hocus Pocus, Nightmare before Christmas 
• Be thankful 

What am I missing? What are your favorite fall traditions? 

2017 ch. 8

If you asked me what day it was, I would say it was somewhere in the middle of August. WHERE HAS THIS YEAR GONE? I'm at a loss. A real loss. I have weekly to-do lists and they make the time go by so quickly. Sometimes too quickly. It's hard for me to believe there are only 4 more months left of 2017. I've sincerely had such a great year so far and look forward to what's to come.

With 4 more months left, I feel like I've made decent progress on the goals I set for myself this year.

TRAVEL

In August, we went camping up American Fork Canyon, which was so.much.fun. I had never camped up there and I loved it. It was beautiful! I was able to go to Scout Falls, which was so beautiful! 

We were also able to go to Lake Powell for a short weekend. I feel so blessed to live in such a beautiful place. 

I have enjoyed being able to travel so much this year. To take the time to enjoy what God has created. I've already started thinking about travel goals for next year and it makes me a little sad that I will have to pick a new goal, which might mean that I can't travel every single month. I'm going to miss it. Does anyone else travel every month? If so, how do you do it?

READ

I read some good books this month. I've been into personal development books this year...they're inspiring and remind me to actively work towards my goals and to choose happiness. This month I read,

     It's okay to laugh (crying is cool too)-Nora McInerny Purmort
     The Joy Plan- Kaia Roman
     Make it Happen- Lara Casey

I really liked The Joy Plan, it was a good reminder for me to recognize my happiness is a choice. I can choose to complain about situations, or I can actively work towards creating the life I want.

I wanted to read 12 new authors this year. So far I'm at 10. Who is your favorite author?

RUN

I ran a new race this month (Porter's Half) with my dad and sister. It wasn't my best race, but I still had a good time. It's always fun running a new course. This was my 5th half of the year...3 to go! Want to run with me? Sign up to run the haunted half or thankful 13 with my link!
thankful13  haunted half

   

SCRAPBOOK

I ordered pics for June + July and actually worked on them! I have loved seeing my pictures printed. Now I just need to work on getting books done for 2013-2016. I think I'm going to use a site for these years. Which site is your favorite to use? 

BLOG/JOURNAL

I'm shocked I'm still journaling each week. Sometimes I feel like it's redundant as I write a daily happiness log already. I've tried to emphasize my journaling to include my feelings and better descriptions from what has happened over the week. 

So that's that. This year is going well. I have a few other goals I'm working on, that I'll carry over to next year, but I'm feeling good about my progress. 

I dare you to pick one thing you want to accomplish before the end of the year and make an action plan for it to happen. See my previous post for 6 easy steps to accomplishing your goals! You've got this! 4 months is plenty of time. :) 

6 Easy Steps to Crushing Your Goals

Have you ever wanted to accomplish something, but didn't know where to start or where to go? Yep, I get it. I've been there. It can be a sea of black. A void. What if I told you there's a way to turn those dreams into reality? 

Here are 6 steps to crushing those goals of yours! 

1. Identify your goal(s) 

What specifically do you want to see happen? Be as specific as possible. 

-For example: I want to travel to Thailand by the end of 2018)

2. Write it down. 

On a post-it. In your journal. On the mirror. Physically write it down. I like to have my goals written down in multiple places, including on my phone so I can look at them regularly. 

3. Split your goal up into daily/weekly/monthly milestones (or mini goals) 

-For example, each month I will save $X

Could also include, when you'll book airfare, hotel, etc

4. Make a specific plan for your milestone goals 

-For example, I will save $X by creating a budget and determining which areas I can cut each month. 

Your plan could include talking to others who have travelled to Thailand, picking a month to look into lodging, etc. 

*The more detail you have in your plan, the better off you will be. You will know what to expect. Like your goals, write down your plan. 

5. Check in at each identified milestone and reassess if necessary. 

Have you ever made a goal to then later decide that maybe it wasn't the right time or you simply changed your mind? That's totally okay. By checking in, not only are you ensuring you are still on track, you can determine if anything needs to change. If you deviate from your goal, create new milestones and plan. 

6. Have a plan for when you finish. Where do you go now? What's next, anything? 

Looking at the Thailand example, what happens once you get to Thailand? Maybe your goal was to exercise for a year, what do the months after you finish look like? Are you rewarding yourself after you accomplish your goal? 

By knowing what it will look like to finish, you will be able to continually motivate yourself to keep it up when the going gets hard. 

So go for it! Set a goal and make your plan. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you put in the work. 

There's no better time to start than now. You don't need to wait for the beginning of the year, month, or even week. Start now! 

Let me know if these steps work for you, I would love to hear from you! 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Graphics created by: kp.felicitari (SHOP)

Check her out on Instagram for the cutest cards + stationary  kp.felicitari