I can hardly believe that this week we’ll be welcoming August. Where is this year going?! It made me think back to my list of goals + habits that I shared at the onset of 2018 and I thought it might be nice to revisit each of them and share my progress.

Ok, first up the goals I set for the year!

Goals & Habits Check-In

Goals:

Re-program my diet.

This one I can safely say I’ve made major improvements with! I shared quite a bit of a status update in this post but overall I am making better decisions when it comes to ordering food out and what I’m cooking at home. I’m reading more labels and I’m choosing healthier options. It has certainly been a journey and I still need to get better at my eating when I’m on the road but I have faith I’ll get there. That being said I’ve been rather awful this summer. I have been overindulging on my trips and failing to get back on track when I get home. Following my return from Oregon next week it is time to get real.

Drink more water.

Done and done! Toting around an annoyingly large 32oz water bottle has been a game changer for me. Consuming 4 bottles full each day has become a competition with myself of sorts and I’v seen changes in my skin and overall health thanks to staying hydrated. Now my body actually craves the water if I’m not hydrating properly during the day.

Read a book a month.

I’ve made major strides with the number of books I’ve been reading this year! I’d say I’m averaging two a month at this point and I couldn’t love it more. I even read three books while on vacation in Stockholm and Copenhagen! Having a new, curated book arrive every month from Book of the Month has definitely been the major change here. If interested in some of the books I’ve enjoyed of late, I shared them in this post.

Continue my fitness journey.

With my improved eating habits before the onset of summer, I was definitely seeing more of a change in my body and actually feeling more results from my 4-6 x week workouts. That being said I completely tweaked my back the other week and that really threw me off and scared me. I need to continue to work on committing myself to stretching and strengthening my core. I’ve also started BBG to supplement my yoga, pilates and barre classes.

Share more.

This has been a work in progress and sometimes I have days where I’m totally dark on social media (I’m human!) but overall I’ve been trying to care less about how I look and share more realness. My hope is that you guys are seeing more of my personality as a result! In addition to social media, I’ve enjoyed penning posts where I’ve opened up more including this one, this one, this one and this one.

Continue to learn.

I had so much fun taking French lessons and being back in a classroom that it inspired me to want to do another course. I am looking to take a photography course before year’s end. I’ve also been spending more time on YouTube when I want to learn how to do something.

Stock my bar cart.

I’ve made progress! I’ve added a few of my favorite liqueurs to the bar cart (Aperol, Hendrick’s, Cointreau to name a few) and now feel I’m more prepared to make some fun drinks when people come over.

Choose adventure more.

I’ve certainly done this so far this year! I’ve had a good year of travel with trips to Charleston, London (here, here) Copenhagen, Stockholm, Portugal (here, here, here), Nantucket (here, here) and today I’m flying to Oregon. Before year’s end I am hoping to make it to Vancouver and Paris and I’ll also be going to Chicago (Thanksgiving) and Colorado (Christmas).

Be more purposeful with my time.

This I feel like I’ve done well with. I drafted a whole post a few months back that I’ve yet to publish but it has to do with making a case for being less busy. I’ve been so cautious with when and where I put my time and efforts and who I give face time to. It’s made me a happier, less stressed person and has 100% been worth the effort. Now before doing something I think critically, “What am I going to get out of this?” or “Is this going to be worth the time spent doing it?” This behavior has freed up more time for me to do more of what I like to do and what I feel personally fulfilled by.

Find a charity to be more involved in.

Womp. I’ve totally failed here and would like to make it a priority before year’s end.

Spend a month in Paris.

Alas, this isn’t the year. I was so hopeful at the start of 2018 but because I didn’t book it, lots has changed. It’s a big commitment to do a month away (not to mention an expensive one) so I’ve rejiggered my expectations and am hoping for 1-2 weeks instead. I’m hopeful it’ll happen this year but need a few other things to work out in order to justify it for myself.

Now onto my habits I was hoping to prioritize for the year…

Habits:

Morning meditation.

Total fail here but I’m actually ok with it. Why? Because I am still meditating – albeit not regularly- but when it matters. I’ve been doing it as a way to wind down at the end of a day and if done in bed I usually fall asleep half way through…win/win. (I use the Inscape app and it has sleep-specific meditations). I’ve been lacking this summer but

Take daily breaks.

Meh. Some days I’m good at this, some days I’m not. I often over-schedule myself and work too many hours in a day.

Self care Sundays.

I’m pretty stellar at this. I love nothing more than a hot yoga class on a Sunday evening followed by a shower, multiple face masks and a home cooked meal. It is my favorite way to end a weekend.

Prioritize inspiration.

This is easier some weeks than it is others. I’ve been good at surrounding myself with people who do inspire me and I feel like I’ve been good at writing down ideas to capture them and then making them happen. Would you guys be interested in a post on how I stay inspired and motivated?

Naps.

I mostly fit these in on the weekends but every now and then on days I’m overwhelmed, stressed or know I’ll be working late, I’ll climb into bed for 20-30 minutes to reboot my system. They’ve been a rarity given my busy schedule + travels of late, however.

Make the bed every morning.

I’ve never done this regularly in my life till this year and damn, it feels good! I think living in a studio helps because no one wants to look at an unmade bed but also it just feels great to crawl into every night, too. I love this habit.

How are you guys doing on your goals for the year? I’d love to hear!

Dress (wearing a 10 – comes in 3 colors) // Shoes (more affordable version here) // Bag (last seen here; have my eye on this one from the same brand) // Sunglasses

p.s. another linen midi dress I keep wearing and a casual outfit sailing in Nantucket.

[Carter Fish Photography]