2020 is upon us, y’all. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WHOA…that’s crazy to say. All week, I’ve been baffled that the new year is days away and we’re about to say goodbye to not only the year, but the decade. You’ve probably seen a thousand of these recaps, either on Instagram or blogs—and I even wrote one just two months ago detailing a life update that included a somewhat 2019 recap. But I want this post to be more than just a life update—sure, it’s a recap of what happened in 2019, but it’s also my hopes for the new year. It’s almost therapeutic, sharing about my year.

I listed out my resolutions. However, I didn’t list all of them. I was listening to Kenzie Elizabeth’s latest podcast episode (I Love You So Much podcast) about making resolutions and she made the point of sharing her personal life online and keeping some stuff private. As we start this new year, more resolutions and more goals are going to pop up—ones that I would like to share online and ones that I would like to keep to myself.

2019 Recap

From my life update post, I work in editorial full-time and write on the side. I haven’t written anything BIG this past year, but really…I had my first published article in print! It was for the magazine I work for, and I was thrilled to be a part of the design and layout process in order for it to go in print.

As for my blog, I completely re-designed and re-branded my website. From “yep, that’s liv” to “The Daily Dose,” I am very pumped to see what 2020 has in store. I’m planning out the type of content that I want to plan. I got a new planner, this lovely one from ban.do. Truly, the hard part about blogging is promoting. I’m working hard and praying that it reaches a lot more people than what it usually reaches. The fear is what gets me, but like Syrio from Game of Thrones said to Arya, “Fear cuts deeper than swords.” Not really applicable in the blogging sphere, but it still is inspirational.

2020 Resolutions

Definitely, definitely read more. I’ve said this before, but I joined the #bookstagram community—a truly happy decision. I read at least 10 books this past year, while in college I got away from reading for fun. Now I’m back to that old habit and I couldn’t be happier.

While some book bloggers have their 2020 reading list already set up, I do not. I have my TBR pile—my leftovers from 2019. Some include finishing up the second book of Game of Thrones (Clash of Kings), The Wedding Date, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, and City of Girls. I thought about writing a 2019 Book Recap, but to be honest, I don’t remember all the books that I read in 2019. If you want to read the books that I read in 2019, check out some of these posts.

The blog: I am truly excited for what’s to come with the blog. I don’t have it all mapped out, but I plan to write more posts. I have some great ideas that I want to bring to the blog. My plan is to post twice a week, and I’m going to try to stick to that! But if I don’t, I won’t give up. I realized that this year, I want to treat my blog as a side hustle and my “passion project.” Writing is truly something that I love to do and when I come home from my 9-5 job, I want something to turn my energy into. More recaps, book reviews, lifestyle posts are to come—plus more.

Health/fitness: going to the gym more, at least twice a week, is something that I want to do. I want to go regularly to my Zumba classes. I go to the YMCA, if you’re wondering.

Food: Speaking of health and fitness, I want to develop a healthy relationship with food. Not necessarily eating a salad for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but not eating takeout every night of the week. I think meal planning is a good start for me, and I’d love to start a food diary to go along with that. Just to keep track of what I’m eating, and this will make it easier when I’m shopping for groceries. And I can buy grown-up things like parsley and basil and cloves and whatnot. (I’d love to start a food diary series on my blog.)

So, as we get into 2020, I pray that you meet your goals and resolutions. Even if you don’t, because that’s okay. Remember that your resolutions don’t define your happiness. You define your happiness.