It’s 10:40 PM on a Saturday, and I’m lying in bed typing my first blog post of 2020—with my daughter lying beside me asleep. Her birthday party ended a few hours ago, which was a princess extravaganza that included all of her favorites: Princess Tiana, Minnie Mouse, and Elsa. She turns four-years-old on Monday, January 6th. If you’re looking for me, I’ll be in the corner somewhere crying my eyes out. 

Needless to say, Christmas has ended, a new year (and decade) has begun, and with my daughter turning another year older, my schedule gets a little hectic. Luckily, I’m fortunate to have almost three weeks off during the holiday season. If I didn’t have that time off, I’m not sure how I would keep my sanity. 

Whew—thank you, Lord! 

Since I’ve had a lot of time off, I’ve had an opportunity to reflect and set goals for 2020 that’s going to take me to the next level of success. Success is my word for the year, and I plan to leverage it in every aspect of my life. If you’re looking to do the same, I recommend reading the book—Your Next Level Life by Karen Arrington. 

Before I bid farewell to 2019, I must say, it was a good year. It was a turning point in my life. A season filled with growth, wisdom, and courage. I decided to make a change in my life to work harder and set goals for myself. To challenge myself. I was tired of starting things and never finishing, being scared to push myself—blah blah blah. 

Here are some highlights from 2019:  

•  I wrote a book! It still seems so surreal. 
•  I became an entrepreneur and started a freelance writing business and launched a lifestyle blog, Girl, You Write. 
•  I built a website for both that I’m proud of. 
•  I completed a 30-day Blog Like Crazy Challenge. 
•  I wrote for six publications and 21 articles published.  
•  I wrote a book review for the Alabama Writer’s Forum. 
•  I traveled to NY with my family and seen Niagra Falls.
•  I traveled to Cancun, Mexico, with my husband. 
•  I saw the Barbie Dreaming of a Female Future exhibit at the Birmingham Museum of Art. 
•  I heard Bryan Stevenson speak in person. 
•  I was profiled by the Women of Alabama. 
•  I was named See Jane Write’s member of the month. 

This year in 2020, I’m excited to see where this journey is going to take me. To keep myself organized and accountable, I’m using my Start Today Journal, and Girl, it’s your year planner to plan my goals. Because a goal without a plan is just a wish, right? While writing my goals down, it gives me a visual to keep my goals at the forefront. 

Here are the goals I’ve set for this year:

• I will publish my book.
• I will send ten pitches to national publications.
• I will go live and do videos for my freelance social media pages. 
• I will write three book reviews. 
• I will volunteer with three local charities.
• I will run a 5K. 
• I will exercise every day for at least 30 minutes. 
• I will read ten books. 
• I will attend a woman’s conference. 
• I will attend three networking events. 

I’m excited to execute my goals and put them into action this year because it’s my year! And girl, it’s your year, too! Let’s dream big, work hard, and stay focused! 

What are your goals for this year, and how do you plan to achieve them?