2024 Goals
Hello friends! ✨
I hope you are all having a wonderful start to 2024. It’s been a while since I’ve posted and I’ve missed sharing updates here. I’m going to try to get back into the swing of blogging/posting content on a more regular basis this year. Today, I wanted to give a life update and share some of my goals and wishes for this upcoming year. I’m one of those people who look forward to the New Year. I love the idea of a “fresh start” and enjoy setting goals on things I want to work on: personally, professionally, and spiritually.
2023 was a year of highs and lows for me. Lyla turned one at the end of July, and making it through that first year was a challenge. I feel guilty saying that, but as all parents know, parenting is tough work! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE being a mom, but I found myself in some pretty dark places last year. If you know me personally, you know that I struggle to ask for help or give up control. I’m very Type A, and sometimes those personality traits can interfere with how I cope when I’m running on empty. I didn’t recognize it at the time, but looking back, I can now say I was going through some postpartum depression. I didn’t want to admit it because (again) I didn’t want to ask for help. I didn’t want to burden anyone or make it seem like I didn’t know what I was doing. Let’s face it though, does any parent know what they’re doing? We’re all just doing the best we can and at the end of the day, as long as our child is cared for and loved thats all that matters ❤️ .
During one of my low points. I didn’t know how to communicate what I needed. That led me to be overwhelmed and stressed. I felt like I was losing who I was in the process, and so I looked for any form of escape that I could find. I was there physically, but mentally I wasn’t engaged. I used social media and being on my phone as distractions. That wasn’t the answer. So, I decided to put my decorating content on hold. I put so much pressure on myself to balance everything, and when I couldn’t, I was incredibly hard on myself. It wasn’t until October (after many tough conversations) that I started to reflect and truly look inward. I started to reevaluate what I wanted my life to look like. My family is everything. My faith is important to me. Both weren’t getting the full attention that they needed. In fact, nothing in my life had my complete attention. I was pouring from an empty cup.
I just want to say that I am in a better space now than I was a few months ago. I needed to step away for a while. I needed that time to process my emotions and everything that going on behind the scenes. With that being said, I want 2024 to be a year of growth and a year spent being intentional with my time. When it comes to my family, I want to be present (physically and mentally). As much as I love sharing pictures and videos of Lyla, I’m learning I don’t need to share every single moment. I’m not saying I won’t ever share, but as she’s getting older I want to protect her privacy. That’s something I felt strongly about even before she was born. My goal with social media was never to make it about my kid. It was meant to share things I’m passionate about and a place for others to draw inspiration from. I also want to make sure that it’s not taking away from my time with my family, which is why I’ve made it a goal of mine to avoid scheduled content for the time being.
The second goal I have for 2024 is to put my focus back on my faith. I felt like there were several moments last year where I wasn’t putting God first. I don’t expect to every day in 2024 either. However, I hope to start my mornings off by spending time in the Word and talking to God. I truly believe that starting my day off reading my devotional sets the tone for the rest of my day. Another goal I’ve set is to say no to more things. I’ve said it before, but I’m a people pleaser. I never want to disappoint people but since becoming a mom, I realize that I can’t do it all. I’m not a Supermom, and I don’t want to be. Last year, I consciously decided to step away from my church’s choir because it was tough fitting in the weekly rehearsals and singing at multiple services a month. It was a really hard decision to make, but I’m hopeful that God will present another opportunity for how I can serve at church. I have also had to make some tough decisions when it comes to work obligations. I stepped down from a committee that I was no longer getting anything from anymore. In addition, there have been things that have come up that I’ve had to turn down because of the place that I’m at in my life right now. I don’t look at this as a bad thing, but more of a realization that I’m only one person. As I mentioned before, I can’t pour into my family, work, etc if I’m pouring from an empty cup.
My last goal is to create inspiring home content. I want to share home projects, home decor finds, and seasonal decor ideas to help all of you create a home that sparkles. So, whether you’re decorating a small space or an entire house, I hope my ideas help you in building the home of your dreams!
Thank you for reading. Please let me know in the comments how you are doing and if you have set any new year goals!
P.S. If there is anything special you want me to do a post or video on, let me know in the comments! ✨
Love, Brandi