Goals for 2017: It’s Time

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All in all — at least, for me — 2016 was the year of a significant number of both shits and fans.

So when the calendar turned the page to 2017 and once again began giving off that new year smell, I found myself looking back (as I’ve done plenty of times before) at all the things I meant to do, all the things I’d actually accomplished, and I got a strange new feeling about the coming year: it’s time for a lot of new things.

At first, I expected I was going to write up a 2017 goals post like I did in previous years (here’s 2015, 2016, for example). But the more I tried to use the same template of home goals, life goals, etc., the more awkward I felt about it. Things just felt off… as if deliberately backing myself into a corner.

Then, I realized what the issue was: that separation no longer reflects how I think about the blog, the house, my business, and my personal life. Where before I might parse those out into separate goals, the last few years have sort of melded into this job-is-my-life-is-my-job kind of thing. That’s not really a complaint, but rather an observation that I’ve grown more comfortable with less structure; these “parts” of my life swirl into and around each other. And, rather than fight it, I should be setting goals accordingly.

This will be the seventh year of owning this house and the seventh year of blogging. In that time, I had a long-term boyfriend move out, remodeled this house extensively on my own (granted, I’ve learned to ask for help more often, but still), went back to school, changed jobs, started a business for myself, dated a few weirdos, remodeled some more, and added a furry goofball who is really bad at hide-and-go-seek.

I didn’t really expect the blog to become my full-time job in that span, but between it and my web design company (which is what has been monopolizing my attention since I finished the laundry room, thus the lack of new room posts, but that will change as spring approaches and design demand slows), things have never had so little structure from day to day. It makes me really, really happy, too. But how does one go about accurately separating home life and blog life and business and dating and all of it if they really are all mixed together?

Perhaps in 2017, it’s time I not try to force structure where it doesn’t really need to exist.

With the entire main floor back to a livable state (honestly, the organization of the kitchen, entryway, and laundry room has made day to day life so much nicer!), it’s time to focus my attention once again to the upper floors: the primary suite (the bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom, etc.), my office, and the guest rooms. And now that the back yard is more level and ready for grass, I have some BIG plans for an outdoor seating area and storage, which I’m going to share with you guys very soon (I have a friend currently helping me with shed plans!). It also means that with a proper space to cook, clean, and relax in, I no longer have an excuse not to invite people over. It’s time to start entertaining and the fun DIYs that come with.

I have a good feeling about what this year might bring. I’m sure there will be a few hiccups like there always are (such as the a$$hole woodpecker situation, which I’ll be posting about next week), but I’m genuinely excited. By giving myself some freedom to relax on my posting schedule these last couple of months, I’ve had some kooky ideas for creative projects, too (I’ve decided not to really try to force a calendar for new posts this year and see how it works out, so some weeks you might see me post once, while others you’ll see three or four… my advice is to subscribe to get new email notifications, but if you still check the site each week, you’ll see the new stuff).

I’m making a few structural changes to the site’s design as well, but I’ll be rolling those out sporadically rather than launching a whole new template… the one thing it’s not time for is spreading myself too thin. I figure smaller improvements are the way to go, such as adding a better search function so you guys can find content easier, adding a resource page for the tools I use for blogging (for you blogger folks that read along), etc. And don’t forget… the logo will still be getting dressed up every now and then for holidays and special events like I did last year… just for fun.

If you think about it, we’re already a sixth of the way into this new year. What are your plans for the rest of it?