29 goals for my 29th year: Golden Birthday update

Progress Post!

A follow up of my 29 goals for my 29^th year. You can read that post here, but I will give a little background. As last year ended differently than I thought, and I was going through some pretty big life changes I wanted to make sure I went into the new year with new goals, a new perspective, and an open heart.  Not only was I entering a new year I was turning 29 on the 29^th, but it was also my GOLDEN birthday, and what I came to realize my Golden year.

“Things don’t happen to you, they happen for you,”

& I truly believe that.
But I also believe that with a positive attitude, goals, understanding and grace, more good will happen. To help stay open and positive, I thought creating a goal list or a list of things I was looking forward too in the upcoming year (rather than focus on the bad or the past) it would really help.

As we are approaching the half way through the year mark, I thought it was the perfect time to check in with myself and my goals… which led me to do an update post.

I went back and read each goal and reflected on them, then wrote where I was at with each one.

Below I’m going to post the “29 things list” and next to it share where I’m at.

29 things I am looking forward to in 29 and 2019:

1. Creating content

In the last 6 months with regards to blogging and content I have felt more creative than ever. With more time to focus on myself and what I want, I have fallen more in love with the process and where I want to go with everything. My consistency still isn’t 100% but I feel I have made huge improvements with sticking to a more consistent schedule. I’ve enjoyed interacting with you guys more, and putting together my travel guides has been one of my favorite parts for sure. I am looking forward to more home content as well, which I will be bringing to the blog very soon.

2. Travel

WOW! I feel very lucky I am able to say I have done so much traveling in the last 6 months and even more so I’ve been proud of myself for going. I am such a home body and sometimes traveling makes me anxious actually, (if I’m being completely honest). However, things have been so different this year, my mind and soul have felt such clarity that traveling has been freeing and fun. Since January and since creating this post I have been to California 3 times.

LA for the launch of one of my best friend’s beauty lines. Oceanside in San Diego, for one of my best friends 30th birthdays. And La Jolla for a little gal’s getaway with one of my other best friends. Washington for a fun girls/work trip. Hawaii, for also a fun girls/work trip. Grand Canyon getaway to experience one of the infamous Cloth and Flame dinners and a glamping experience that was soo cool, and lastly to close out the first half of the year Aspen, Colorado to celebrate the fourth of July and my mom’s 60^th Birthday! (she’s going to kill me for putting her age BUT she looks not a day over 30 so she needs to shout that from the rooftops.)

3. Basil and Biscuit

The absolute loves of my life. I didn’t realize, really how life changing puppies would be. I have grown up and had dogs my whole life, but there is something about getting a dog when you are older and getting one on your own that put so much into perspective. The pups have really given me a reality check, I needed. I want nothing more in life than to be a mother but I think I needed these little babes to show me all it really does take. Puppies are a lot of work and your entire schedule changes and your day to day routine changes.

I’m a very routine person and I also stress about little things and worry a lot about the things and people I care about so navigating how to manage all that and the emotions of it has been really hard yet helpful. It’s made me more organized, more thorough and more realistic. I love that these babes count on me daily and they make me want to do better every day.

4. New beginnings

The end of anything can be hard and scary but I was determined to focus on the fact that it also meant the start of something new and new can be beautiful. New firsts, new friendships, new relationships etc, and I’m happy to report I’ve had a lot new “firsts” and as hesitant as I was or as scary as I thought it was going to be…It has been better than I could have imagined.

5. Falling in love with myself

This was a big one for me because up until now I shared half my life with someone and as amazing as that can be you have to make sure you don’t lose sight of yourself and your goals, while loving YOU every step of that way. With that said, this was my time to re fall in love with myself and figure out who I have always wanted to be, on my own, and also in my next relationship.

6. Abs

Let’s just say, thank gosh I still have half a year left because while I have made progress I still haven’t quite hit my goals. I did a 90 day challenge in the beginning of the year and I only completed 30 days. What that taught me was 1. Set realistic goals and 2. Even if you don’t complete something still keep trying, don’t give up.

7. Time in the kitchen

Spending time in the kitchen is one of my absolute favorite things to do, It’s my happy place, and I wish I could say I have done a lot of that. However, with trying to live in the moment, go out more, work and be present with my pups, I have actually ordered out more than I ever have before. With that said I think there are so many reasons for that but truthfully, I think one big reason might have been the feeling of not having someone to cook for anymore. A follower wrote to me once and said I feel like since your breakup you don’t cook as much…she was right! Since then it has been harder to maybe connect to the kitchen because cooking for someone or cooking for loved ones is why I love cooking so much.

Granted I have so many loved ones in my life to cook for and at the drop of a hat they would love to come over and eat whatever I make them, but I think it was just something I needed time with. (Through everything a goal for this new year was to do whatever feels right in my heart and in the moment, so If I wasn’t totally up to cooking, I didn’t. I didn’t want to force anything if that makes any sense.) I also went out to dinner with friends more, Ive done more Happy Hours and tried new places etc, so I’ve spent more time out. Luckily, I am happy to report the cooking and hosting itch has crept back in and I’m slowly diving back into.

8. Make my house a home

Girl cave- A huge thank you to my parents for being so supportive and amazing, because a lot of this wouldn’t have been possible without them. When my ex moved out the first thing my mom said to me was “Let’s create a space you have always wanted a space you get to totally design yourself and whatever you want to do to make this house your home, I will help.” I didn’t really think much about it, but as I got back into the swing of things I realized this is the only time I will have to do what I want.

Make things exactly the way I envisioned and really create a GIRL CAVE. I got a PINK bed, I got a PINK carpet, I created a gallery wall of my little family and added all the girly touches I have always wanted. As for the rest of the house I have slowly changed up a few things and made it exactly how I want because for now that’s exactly how it can be and I am going to cherish all these little moments.

9. Host 4 parties this year

I haven’t hosted any big parties yet as I have truly been busier than ever, but really looking at the end of summer to start hosting again, so I’ll keep you guys updated for that.

10. Go on more bike rides

bike rides outside have become one of my favorite things to do and soothing to me. Two of the things I love most about them is it is another healthy excuse to hang out with friends and I go with friends who also love to go up and down the streets of Arcadia picking out our dream homes.

11. Read a book a quarter

I have not followed up on this and I have only actually read one book so far this year.. “girl wash your face”

12. Tidy up

Huge improvements on my organization skills. I would say I’m 80% of 100% from the 50% I was before haha.

13. Keep my car clean

Also not 100% there yet but I work on it every day.

14. Clean out my closet more consistently and sell clothes

Every month I have done a closet purge. If I have bought more clothes than usual that month I have made myself get rid the same amount of clothes I purchased.

15. More cardio outside

Really proud of myself. 5 days a week I go to the gym and do 45 min of cardio, while also making time for walks or bike rides.

16. Saying yes when I want to say no

Also very proud of myself for this one. I am a home body and very comfortable with my routine and I can 100% say I have been a total YES girl (within reason of course). But saying yes has brought me so much opportunity, new friendships and more fun then ever before.

17. Get Netflix

February 8^th I finally got Netflix. First thing I watched on it was a Christmas Movie LOL. I haven’t fully gotten on board with all things Netflix but I’m liking it. The first show I watched was Hart of Dixie and my gosh it now has to be in my top 5 favorite shows of all time haha. If you haven’t yet seen it, I would for sure recommend it, Ive watched each season twice now (YIKES).

18. Try to save more $

Work in progress lol. Shopping has jus been so much fun because I feel like Im playing around and falling in love with new styles.

19, Pick up my phone less

So much better. I have really been more mindful and present with friends and family and loving every second of that.

20. Challenge myself more

From traveling more, to opening myself up more to others, to going on dates, to saying yes, I think I have defiantly challenge myself.

21. No procrastinating

I think that all around my day to day life has changed for the better because I have really gotten into a great routine and have showed up for myself and stopped waiting until the last minute for a lot of things.

22. White board sessions

I love brainstorm sessions and writing them clear on the board so I see them every day/week has been super helpful. I use my white board weekly and I really feel like it has been a huge help in keeping me organized with planning ahead and writing out my creativity.

23. Plan ahead

With time being so precious and me wanting to really get the most out of everything, planning ahead is so important for that. I can honestly say I have and continue to plan ahead.

24. Girls weekend(s)

I’m so happy to say, girls’ weekends have pretty much happened every weekend. I love my gals and feel SO grateful for them and their support that I have really cherished all of this time. I feel the luckiest to have the most amazing group of babes in my life.

25. Being the best aunt I can be

Not only the best aunt… but now the best GODMOTHER. I was not only promoted to Aunty 5 times over in the past couple months I had the honor of getting promoted to Godmother to one of my best friends’ daughters, Milai Ivy Duncan. She is the most precious little babe and I can’t wait to always be there for her. I’m so proud of all my friends and watching them become moms and learning from them has brought a whole new joy and happiness to my heart. Kids have a way of putting everything into perspective and at the end of the day being a mom is all I want so getting to be an aunt in the meantime has only made that goal so much sweeter.

26. Networking

Pushing myself to go out and meet new people and grow my business was a huge goal of mine this year. Believe it or not I am a pretty shy person and get intimidated to introduce myself sometimes or go to an event on my own, however this year I felt more empowered and that has allowed me to get a little uncomfortable. I’ve gone to more events, dinners, and outings in the last couple months than I think I had all of last year or years prior and all I have to say is I wish I did it sooner and can’t wait to do it more.

27. Worry less

When my life and all that I had planned changed overnight soo many worries went through my mind. Time line worries, relationship worries, etc however knowing I get to be more in control of things moving forward and knowing their is a reason for all this,  helped create a sense of peace in my heart. I left it all up to God, and fate and that why worry when in reality I believe things have all already been figured out for us, it just may not be in my time line but it will all happen, in time.

28. Being present

I really wanted to make sure I really enjoyed this time to myself and being fully present is the best way to do that. Something I’ve been proud of myself for is truly being present in my emotions. This past 6 months have been some of the best 6 months of my life but that doesn’t mean I haven’t had my share of hard moments. However with the hard moments I wanted to feel so I can move on from them!

29. Be mindful

With having more time to focus on myself, I have tried to focus and hone in on what makes me happy and letting go of what doesn’t. I’ve realized that you may have plans, and hopes and dreams but it doesn’t always work out exactly how you want and that’s ok. You’ve gotta learn to expect the twists and turns because it will make them a little easier. Ive also learned that these kind of check lists and writing things out and checking in with yourself every so often is so important for your overall happiness.

…If you got to this point in the post BRAVO and THANK YOU haha! I know this was a really long one, but I wanted to share it with you babes in the hopes it may help or inspire even just one of you.

… a little side note:

The photos I posted in here make me smile because it was another crazy way of showing me how things are just magic. I had known I wanted to do this post for a couple weeks now and wanted to also do fun photoshoot to go along without however didn’t have anything planned. I wrote the post 2 weeks ago while I was beach side in La Jolla just a week before I went to the Grand Canyon. Also, I knew I wanted to get it up on the 29th so figuring out a time to shoot something fun in between it all the travels etc was getting hard.

The night of our dinner in the Grand Canyon my girlfriend said “Becca, this is the perfect time to take photos, it’s the Golden hour.”

Me, I was worried about shadows and and it being too bright for the photos etc that I didn’t think they would turn out the best.

However she’s the expert and I thought switching things up is good and why not.

So we shot…and the second I got the photos uploaded I knew I had to use these in my post. What’s more Golden then the Golden hour and I have to say they might be some of my favorite photos.

There is a photo where it looks like I’m holding the sunshine and it made me just smile and laugh to think of all the sunshine I have in my life and all I feel in my heart… and hands!