New year, new blog series! I’m excited to announce that one of my goals of 2019 is to post three days a week! THREE! My new posting schedule is going to be Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 8 a.m. central time with every Friday post being a weekly wrap up with updates on my life as well as things that have caught my eye on the internet (or in life) during the last five days.
Obviously, this week has been a weird one with the new year falling on a Tuesday, but I’ve already enjoyed 2019 more than anything. I rang in the new year with close friends and family at a game night I hosted with plenty of meat/cheese, spinach dip, and cupcakes. I then proceeded to completely waste the first day of 2019 by napping for the majority of it, but I did get some amazing tacos with a close friend that night. Now, I’m focusing on how to best accomplish my goals in 2019, spending quality time with friends, and reading up a storm. Let’s get into what’s been catching my eye this week!
1. I, Eliza Hamilton by Susan Holloway Scott
I’m currently reading I, Eliza Hamilton by Susan Holloway Scott, which is actually a book I got as a Christmas gift from my mom. To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about it. I am obsessed with the musical Hamilton, and everything Eliza Hamilton accomplished during her life inspires me endlessly, but I think Scott is a little too romantic for my taste. While the book is fast-paced and talks about things other than the love between Alexander and Eliza, it also feels like 80 percent of the content is Eliza talking about how much she misses her love and worrying about his safety. I’m only about half way through, so I hope Scott starts to portray Eliza as a stronger, more independent character as she gets further into her relationship with Hamilton.
2. BBG/Sweat with Kayla
One of my promises to myself for 2019 was to make healthier choices, starting with my workouts. Personally, I love working out, but I don’t feel like my workouts on my own are as productive as they could be. I decided to cancel my gym membership back in December because I wasn’t using it as much as I used to, so I decided to give BBG (a Kayla Itsines workout program) a shot after reading a review from Carly Heitlinger. I haven’t started yet, but I got the PDF guide as well as the nutrition guide (for vegetarians since I am trying to cut down on my meat consumption again) and I’m planning to read through those this weekend to kick-off the program on Monday.
3. Obama’s Favorite Books of 2018
There’s nothing I like more than a good book recommendation, and who better to curate a list from than the former president himself. I know Obama does this every year (apparently), but this is the first year I knew about it (yes, I do live under a rock). I added at least five books to my Goodreads TBR shelf, as well as a host of other cultural phenomenons to check out.
4. Reflecting On My 2018 Gratitudes
Ah, I did this last night and it was such an eye-opening experience! Jacki Carr is the co-founder of a yoga organization as well as a leader at Lightyear Leadership, and organization dedicated to empowerment and bettering oneself. I found this reflection/goal intention challenge through another blog I read, and I immediately added it to my list of things to do to get ready for 2019. It can take as little or as much time as you want (it took me about 15 minutes), and it really helps you think about everything you’ve accomplished or experienced in the last 365 days. I think I’m going to bookmark this and save it to do every year, it was that good!
5. Making Your iPhone Work For You
This is a must read for anyone interested in boosting their productivity in 2019! I started incorporating these tips and tricks into my phone habits during the last few weeks of 2018, and I’m planning to continue reading the article into 2019. To be honest, I haven’t finished it yet because it’s so long, but I’ve already found a handful of things (like reorganizing how you group your apps) to be beyond helpful. I’m trying to read and truly incorporate one habit/hack a week, so I know I’ll get there eventually.
What’s caught your eye during the first week of 2019? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy adventuring,
Kimberly
