HOW I’M GETTING MY 2018 BACK ON TRACK

If you read last week’s rose and thorn, you know my 2018 didn’t exactly start off with a clean desk, a brainstorming session, and a list of big goals I’m excited to tackle. I so badly wanted to kick off the new year with all those things and found myself feeling envious of other people who seemed so much more organized, optimistic, etc.

how to get your 2018 back on track

cable knit sweater  //  pearl studs  //  jeans

But sometimes life (in the form of burst pipes, technical difficulties, and whatever is standing in your way this week) gets in the way — and that’s why it’s so important to hit the reset button before a couple bad breaks spiral into a full-blown rut.

There’s so much pressure on the start of a new year and it’s dangerously easy to start thinking, oh well, I guess 2018 isn’t going to be my year after all. So this week I’m reminding myself that today is just as good a day as any other to get organized and make plans that get me excited for the rest of the year. Think about it: if I had a couple bad days in mid-July, I wouldn’t write off the entire year and wait until January to start turning things around. So just because the first week of January wasn’t your favorite doesn’t mean the remaining 358 days can’t be.

This week I’m carving out some time to make a list of my goals for the year and start thinking about career milestones and travel plans that will reinvigorate me. I already have a lengthy list of goals in the form of my 101 in 1001 list (for which I’ll be posting a three-month check-in next week!) but it’s helpful for me to spend some time reflecting on the previous year and setting specific goals both personally and professionally.

For those of you who find yourselves in a similar headspace, let’s all show ourselves a little grace for a lousy start to the year — and vow that we won’t let a lousy week become a lousy month or a lousy year. 2018 can still be the year you get fit, get organized, start a business, start a family, travel the world, or whatever it is strikes your fancy. And whether you’re reading this on January 8 or eight months from now, today is a fine time to get started.