I always start the new year off with a blog post that takes a look back at the year gone by, looks at the year ahead and outlines my goals and plans for the coming year. A new year gives each of us the opportunity to change things we are unsatisfied with in our lives, to grow into our best self and to achieve our heart’s desire.

Before we look at 2015, let’s take a look back at 2014…

Despite some challenges (which you’ll read about a little further down), 2014 was a good year and I am thrilled that I was able to accomplish many of the personal and professional goals I had.

One of my personal goals was to Be Inspired! I wanted to spend more time reading books that would help me grow as a person and as a business and brand and am happy to say I was able to finish a handful of books that will provide daily inspiration!

I wanted to Expand My Knowledge Base by attending workshops and professional conferences. I attended the Craft and Hobby Association Show in January, the Design Bloggers Conference in February and the Haven Conference in July, all of which provided me with great learning opportunities. I learned tips that I’m using to grow and strengthen my business and I connected with and am building relationships with brands that support bloggers which I will use to build my blog. I also met lots of amazing bloggers, all of which have inspired me in more ways than I can count.

2014 was a year where I wanted to Be A Dreamer and Be Adventurous! My goal was to try new things, experience new places and step out of my box a bit. My travels to DC (twice last year) allowed me to spend time with my brother and enjoy a city that I had never really experienced before. It was also great that I was able to share in my husband’s excitement when be visited DC for the first time. We also ventured to a new beach for our summer vacation and explored cities around Atlanta that I’ve never been to before. It felt great to be adventurous!

Two other goals I had for 2014 were to Be Charitable and Be Thankful! During the year I continued to sit on the board of a local non-profit agency and chaired the annual fundraiser. It is such a great feeling to give back to my community and positively impact the lives of others, and I am happy to say the fundraiser generated the most money ever, just over $110,000! I will continue working with the agency again in 2015 and will be serving as the Vice-President of the board. I have lots of be Thankful for am happy to give my time and money to help others.

My professional goals for 2014 focused on Building My Design Business and Blog. I created more DIY and Craft Projects in 2014 and the Photography Class I took is helping me to take better photos for the blog, which was another goal of mine. I also wanted to Create More Original Content and deliver Quality over Quantity. While I did make strides in these areas, I didn’t achieve all that I wanted to so I will continue to focus on these things in 2015.

The latter part of 2014 was a bit challenging professionally because of an unexpected event that affected my work schedule. I didn’t share this on the blog last year but I wanted to share it now because my professional and blog life will continue to be impacted as I move into 2015 and I may not be as consistent with blogging as I have been.

In September of last year I was selected to serve as a juror on a trial here in Atlanta. The trial was scheduled to last 3 to 4 months, with me being present in court Monday thru Thursday each week. Being away from my office most of the week made it really challenging for me to work on design projects, write the blog and complete holiday decorating for my clients. Many of my design projects have been slowed down and most of my weekends were spent at my desk working, creating projects for the blog and spending late nights and weekends installing Christmas decor for clients in Nov. and Dec. I made it work but it was a bit exhausting.

We are now being told that the case will probably last through spring which means continued challenges on my time. I am vested in doing my civic duty and will do what it takes to get it all done. I will work on design projects in the evenings and on weekends and will continue to share with you here on the blog. If I miss a day or two, know that I just needed a moment to catch my breath. It’s times like this that I am thankful to be a super organized and disciplined person.

So, you’re probably asking what’s in store for 2015…

Over the Christmas holiday I spent some time thinking about my goals and what I wanted to achieve in the new year. As I worked through that process one thought kept surfacing–THE POWER OF SELF TALK!

Have you ever given thought you how your thoughts impact your day, year or life? What you put into you body is manifested outwardly and that includes the things you think.

Do you see yourself in a positive light?

Do you focus on your strengths or your challenges?

Do you believe you can achieve or do you let self-doubt consume you?

Do you focus on moving forward or are you stuck on looking back and thinking what-if?

Do you have self-love?

Do you remember to be grateful?

So with self-talk on my mind, I’ve put my intentions for the new year in place and have chosen my mantra.

In 2015 my mantra is I AM…

I AM SUCCESSFUL IN ALL THAT I DO!

I’m going to plan and execute strategies and changes for my design business, blog and Etsy shops that will allow them to grow and flourish. Every day I will do something that moves me closer to meeting my goals, reaching my potential and fulfilling my dreams.

I AM INSPIRED & INSPIRING!
I AM going to reach out and connect with bloggers and brands for inspiration and to build my business. I AM going to surround myself with people who lift me up and inspire and will use my talents to inspire and lift up others. One of my passions and strengths is in teaching and sharing what I love and what I do with others. When I share of myself, good things come back to me ten-fold.

I AM ALWAYS LEARNING!
I AM going to read and continue to learn and grow personally and professionally. When I take the time to learn, I am taking the time to be better than I was yesterday.

I AM SELF-LOVING AND COMMITTED!
I’m going to build a healthier life through the foods I eat, the exercise I commit to and lots of self-love. Being the best I can be will allow me to be the best I can for my family and friends.

I AM GRATEFUL!
I AM going to take time each day to remember all that I have to be grateful for. Being grateful for what you have is the pathway that allows you to bring more into your life.

In 2015 I AM all of this and so much more!