My 8 Goals for 2018

Happy 2018!! Surprised to see me? Don't worry, this time I am  determined  to stay.

I don't know about you, but I love New Year's Resolutions. It's true- you should never wait until the new year before pursuing something, but I really like the idea of a new year and a fresh start. Especially since January 1st landed on a Monday...ugh, so satisfying.  

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1. Post 50 videos on YouTube!

One of my struggles is posting consistently on YouTube. This year, I want to make it a goal of mine to post at least 50 videos!! This means at least one video a week for the rest of the year 😬

BUT I CAN DO IT.  So here's to more consistency, better content, and more effort! This is my plan-

1. Plan out a video schedule at least a month ahead.
2. Plan out a filming schedule throughout the week.
3. Plan out a time during the week for editing.
4. Make YouTube a priority!!!
5. Trust in yourself & always make content that you are proud of.

2. Read at least 60 books

When I was in Paris, I read way more than I did back home. It made me feel like I was in high school again, where I would read a book a week (I loved it). It has to do with the way Parisians and Americans spend their leisure time (my friend did a whole presentation on this and it blew my mind so much that I refer to it all the time now). I was able to read while I took the metro to school and back, and it was a 40 minute commute so I was able to go through a couple of books during my 4 months! My goal in 2017 was to read 100 books and I read 55! So. NOT BAD. 

← pictured here is a bookstore located inside Galerie Vivienne in Paris

3. Focus more on self care

Pretty self-explanatory but more specifically, I want to focus on developing a better skincare routine and letting my body heal + rest when it needs to. My typical skincare routine is-

• MORNING ROUTINE: 
• Wash face with soaked washcloth
• Put on sunblock
• NIGHT ROUTINE:
• Wash face with warm water
• Put on moisturizer

Very simple and it worked for me for the most part! My skin is relatively clear but I do have small textured bumps on my forehead that I can't seem to get rid of. The only thing I've noticed is that they do diminish when I get enough sleep. BUT I'm hoping that with a more developed skincare routine, I can get that beautiful glowin skiiiiin ✨

4. Stop being a perfectionist

Ahh, my main downfall. I'm a starter. I "start" things all the time. The problem is that I rarely finish things. Not only this but it is also the main reason for my procrastination (it's bad). Rather than finishing things one by one, I tend to jump from one thing to another. For example, I'm supposed to edit a video, write a blog post, write an essay, and make a presentation. What normally happens is I will edit a video until I feel uninspired, then write my essay until I get bored, go back to editing my video, start my blog post, etc. etc. In the end, things that don't have hard deadlines (like videos and blog posts) don't end up being completed.

I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure that every piece of creative content that I publish is perfect and is something that I am proud of. But it's come to the point where I try to perfect it so much that it actually hurts me in the end.

In 2018 I want to make it a goal to produce more content than I ever have and to let go of this strict perfectionist mindset that I have.

5. Talk to strangers more

I think the biggest lesson I learned after studying abroad was...the world is so small and people are so kind. I would say that 75% of the people I met when I was traveling actually lived in Orange County as well! More than that, I became less afraid to speak to strangers because-

1. You'll probably never see them again (unless you make the decisive effort to keep in touch) so if you're afraid of their judgement...don't be.
2. They don't know your past. You can act however which way you want!! 
3. You can learn something from anyone.
4. There are good people out there.
5. People are nice!!
6. THEY COULD BECOME YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!

6. Change up my lifestyle and genuinely make health a priority in my life!

For example, one of my goals is to eat a salad once a day! This not only makes it easier for me to plan out my meals, but I have been feeling a lot more energized and healthier as well. I want to start incorporating more healthy habits into my life because it's so easy for me to just Postmates some donuts to my front door every night 😍🍩

But by making healthy eating habits a normal part of my day, I think it'll help me out in the long run!

This would mean doing things like...

• Including exercise into my daily routine. Almost as if it's a class that I have to attend! And I'm paying for my gym with my school tuition anyway so...gotta get my money's worth
• Eating something healthy more consistently, like having a salad at least once a day.
• When deciding on whether I should spend $30 on a new shirt or on a SoulCycle class...pick the SoulCycle class
• Whether it is walking at least 5,000 steps, having a random dance party, running a mile or two, swimming, or going for a hike, I just want to make sure I do something active everyday!

7. Consume Less

Just cleared out my closet and wow I have a lot of SHIT LOL. I don't need anything more. Really.

I didn't realize how much clothing I accumulated until I went through it all. Not only this, but after studying abroad and having to shrink my closet down to one checked luggage and carry-on, I felt really overwhelmed when I came home and had access to my entire closet. I realized that I didn't really wear most of it and a lot of the clothes were just extra "options" for me. But I didn't necessarily NEED it.

In 2018, I want to consume less. I want to purchase less materialistic items and spend money on experiences, education, and my passions instead!

8. GROW MY LOVE CIRCLE ♡

I'm so lucky to be surrounded with the most incredible group of people, but I also love meeting more humans!! I feel like I stopped trying to met new people after my second year of college. It was sort of like...well, I have my best friends and I have my family, so what more do I really need?When I studied abroad, I met the most amazing group of people and it made me realize that I want to meet more people. PEOPLE ARE JUST REALLY COOL AND I WANT TO MAKE MORE FRIENDS 😇 

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That's all for my resolutions for 2018! I know this post is coming in a little late but better late than never. I'm feeling really good about this year and can't wait to see what it has in store for me :)

If you want to see the video version of this post, click below!

Do you have any resolutions or goals this year? Comment them below!

P.S. 2017 recap and posts from abroad are coming soon!

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