prairie girl musings

Tag: new year

  • 2018 Blog & Business Goals

    2018 Blog & Business Goals

    I say this EVERY year, but where has the time gone?! I can’t believe we’re already a week into 2018.

    As much as I love the clean slate of a new year, I’m all about setting goals year-round. While my goals usually include a personal component, I wanted to focus a bit more on business goals this year. Since leaving my full-time job and dedicating more time to my side hustles, I’ve been thinking a lot more about where I want to be  2018, so here it goes…

    Work with a photographer
    I’m lucky to have a few photographer friends, who I’ve been able to work with (quite sporadically) over the past year. Nick’s also a pretty good Instagram boyfriend, (or should I say, fiancé?) but I think it’s important to separate our personal and professional lives. This year I’d like to work with a photographer more regularly to take my content to the next-level.

    Travel content
    One of the reasons I started blogging was to share city guides and travel tips with you all. Living in New Zealand has been an incredible experience in itself (one I’m super grateful for…) but it’s isolated from the rest of the world and limits the number of places I can reasonably travel to. In 2017, I travelled to Japan, three Australian states, and all over NZ, but my city guides were few and far between… In 2018, there’s no excuse, I’ll be sharing all the best spots right here.

    Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate
    Christchurch is full of incredibly talented individuals. When Mooch Style and I hosted our bloggers meet-up, we were blown away by the number of people who attended and shared their blogging stories with us. I’d like to host another Bloggers Collective this year because well, last year was so much fun! Another goal is to collaborate with other creatives – photographers, writers and stylists because it’s such a great way to learn and stay inspired. I’ve already got a few partnerships in the works, so stay tuned.

    Sponsored content
    As a creative, it’s hard to resist opportunities that come knocking, especially those with desirable budgets. After all, we need to get paid. As hard as it can be to turn down opportunities that aren’t a good fit, that’s what I intend to do this year. I want to be as transparent and honest with you guys as possible because that’s what this is all built upon.

    Always sign a contract
    I’ve been burned a few times in the past by clients who’ve refused to sign contracts or commit to a payment schedule. I’ve talked to other friends in the blogging world and they’ve all experienced similar issues. As unregulated as our work can be, I’ll always handle myself professionally and only work with those who do, too.

    Improve my blog’s SEO
    This one is definitely a long-term game, but I need to focus on search engine optimisation. Despite working as a digital marketer for more than two years, my blog’s SEO ranking is abysmal, so I’ve got to dedicate some serious time to improving it or look to hire someone to help!

    Blog rebrand & refresh
    As much as I love my blog, this layout needs work and is overdue for a refresh. The navigation is non-existent and there’s no search function… I created this blog 5.5 years ago, and while I still love it, there’s lots I’ve outgrown. I am considering working with a designer and developer to create something a bit sleeker and user-friendly. Who have you worked with in the past?

    2017 was a great year and I figured a lot out, here’s hoping 2018 is just as good!

    Have you thought about your goals for the year ahead?

  • Note To Self

    Note To Self

    While I was at home over the holidays, I spent one evening thumbing through old family albums. As my sisters and I often do, we each selected a few of our favourite photos from our respective baby books.

    I recently read an article that discussed the twenty-something woman’s tendency to berate herself on a daily basis. I don’t recall where I found this article as I wasn’t overly concerned with the statistics or validity surrounding this claim, but I know it’s true. We’re all too quick to replay conversations that went awry, condemn our bodies, and agonize about our careers (or lack thereof). This sort of self-deprecating rhetoric is all-too-common. FML has become the new full stop to end our sentences, as we jokingly make these underhanded comments about our lives.

    We live in a society that measures success based on a handful of weighty milestones, yet keeping up with the Joneses is near impossible in our recovering economy and inflated housing market. This constant benchmarking against our peers, previous generations, and what we see in conventional and social media leads to mounting levels of stress and anxiety.

    Looking at this photo of myself as a toddler brought up an unfamiliar sense of empathy. I was reminded of a long forgotten innocence we all once possessed. Any feelings of inadequacy and stress were somehow absolved by looking at my carefree, infant self. We all need to be much kinder to ourselves. On a personal level, of course, but collectively as well. Condemning ourselves for our imperfections won’t change them, at least not without serious repercussions.

    Instead, I started thinking, “I need to treat myself how I’d treat a small child, a younger me.” Would I ever mockingly compare the failings of her aspirations? No, I’d love her unconditionally, and that’s how I resolve to treat myself going forward. It’s a lesson that’s applicable for anyone who is feeling inadequate or self-conscious.

    Along with the following list of things you can do instead of getting worked up, find an old photo of yourself and remember that it was taken not too long ago:

    1. If you’re tired, don’t press on, take a nap.

    2. Feed yourself healthy, wholesome food. Make yourself delicious meals that will give you energy and make you feel good.

    3. Allow yourself time to play.

    4. Engage in activities that feed your soul. There’s a reason over 95% of my female friends were enrolled in ballet at the age of four, and it’s not because our parents’ thought we’d start obsessing about how we looked in a leotard by the age of twelve.

    5. If you fall down, (literally or figuratively) take it easy for a day or two.

    6. Surround yourself with people who support you. The greatest people you will ever meet will reassure and console you when you’re feeling sad. And they will cheer you on throughout your many pursuits.

    7. When do children start looking in mirrors? From a young age, we’re fascinated with our reflection, but when does this fascination take a critical turn? Begin appreciating everything your body does for you, it’s a complex organism. If you’re lucky, you can walk, run and dance. To quote the famous Sunscreen speech, “Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can, don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.”