2018 is coming to a close, and I’d love to say I accomplished everything on my to-do list, but that never happens does it? I shared my 2018 resolutions this time last year, and I’d like to give an update on how I accomplished those goals throughout the year. Let’s get started!
1. Be kind to myself and others.
I did my best with this one. My original goal was to do something nice for others and myself every day. While that was a bit lofty, I think I did manage to carry a theme of kindness throughout the year. I checked my judgements a lot more frequently, and through constant effort, I’ve become a lot less judgmental of how others choose to live their lives. My general belief is that if it isn’t affecting me, why should I let others choices bother me in the slightest? I also made self-care a huge part of 2018 (as I think a lot of other people did). My self-care mainly circulates around going to bed at a decent hour, reading at least one chapter of my book a day, saying “no” when I really don’t want to go out, and managing my finances carefully. Overall, I give myself a 7/10 on reaching this goal, and I hope to continue my efforts in 2019 because kindness never goes out of style.
2. Further my understanding of one topic.
I knocked this one out of the park! My goal was to learn more about finance and investing, and I can honestly say I spent at least half the year dedicating myself to this topic. From reading books like Rich Dad Poor Dad and The Millionaire Next Door to watching YouTube videos from The Financial Diet, I tried to learn everything I could about finance, budgeting, and investing in 2018. I know I still have a slew of things to learn about this topic since it’s always changing, but I feel 100% more confident making financial decisions now than I did in 2017. I’m going to give myself a 9/10 on this one, and I plan to put a ton of effort into understanding healthcare in 2019.
3. Do one thing every day that improves who I am as a person.
I did so-so on this goal. While I did add journaling and meditation into my nightly routine, I’d be lying if I said I did it every day. It was much easier for me to incorporate journaling into my daily practice since I feel the immediate benefits of writing out my feelings (I’ve always processed emotions and events a lot better when I’ve written about them), but meditation was a little trickier. I know meditation has insane benefits when you do it over a long period of time, but I’m an instant gratification kind of gal, so dedicating just ten minutes a day to the practice was harder than I thought. Don’t get me wrong, I meditated at least two times a week for the majority of 2018, but I want to work harder to make it a solid part of my routine in 2019. I give myself a 6/10 on this goal.
4. Learn more about my field and actively seek knowledge.
I did really well with this goal in the first half of the year. I listened to a fantastic podcast (that unfortunately hasn’t produced an episode since March), took Skillshare courses, and read articles about once a week about public relations and communications, but about half-way through the year, things changed. First, I started heavily searching for a new job, then I got a new job and had to throw myself into that 150%. Now that things have slightly settled down, I’m ready to start reading more material and taking more courses to continue my education. I also want to buckle down in 2019 and figure out what I really want to be doing as a career for the rest of my life. I give myself a 5/10 on this goal.
5. Speak up for myself.
I both succeeded and failed at this goal. I think speaking up for yourself takes a lot of practice, and that’s what I did in 2018. I might have tried and failed, but at least I tried. I have some strict lines drawn in the sand for myself personally and professionally, and I’m going to make sure to stick my those standards I have set for myself. It’s important for me to not feel bad about those expectations I have, and I’m going to carry that with me into 2019. I give myself a 5/10 on this goal.
6. Accept myself for who I am and refrain from comparing myself to others.
This is another goal that I’m struggling with a lot to this day. Comparison is a tough thing to avoid, but just like speaking up for myself, I think it only goes away the more you practice it. I’m making it a new goal in 2019 to limit my time on social media a little more and speak positively to myself no matter how down I might be feeling about where I am in life. I give myself a 4/10 on this one. Better luck next year!
7. Make time for what’s important.
To end on a strong note, I definitely made time for what was important to me in 2019. I rebranded my blog, consistently posted twice a week throughout the year, read almost 50 books, made a handful of new friends, and spent time with old pals. I’m not upset in the slightest with how I spent my year. I made memories to last me a lifetime with friends I am so thankful to have by my side. I can’t wait to see what I do with my time in 2019. I give myself a 10/10 on this goal.
Bonus Goals: Read 50 books and go cruelty free with my makeup collection.
Unfortunately, I only read 47 books in 2018 (check out my list of all the books I read throughout the year tomorrow), but I started three others, so I almost hit my goal, right? Right? Better luck in 2019 I guess. Despite not hitting my reading goal, I did manage to go completely cruelty free with my makeup collection, which I am so so happy about. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, and I even found new brands (bareMinerals and Colourpop to name a few) and products to love through the process.
Overall, 2018 was a pretty great year for me. Sure, I made some mistakes and I learned more than a few lessons (check back on Wednesday for that post), but everything shaped me into who I am going into 2019 as. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ready for a new year and new opportunities, but I’m pretty happy with how I dedicated my time in 2018 and all I accomplished personally and professionally. How do you feel leaving 2018? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy adventuring,
Kimberly
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