My 2015 Blogging Goals

Firstly, I just want to give a shout out to all the veterans. This day is too often overlooked and I am not about that. I could never imagine being a solider and I greatly appreciate those who have and are serving our country and hope that they feel appreciated today and throughout the year. Regardless of where you stand in politics, you should be supportive of those who willingly suit up and fight for us, while we don't even realize what they are doing. So to those of you who are veterans, who are currently in the military or who are a family member or friend of a military member, thank you for your willingness to serve.

Moving right along with the November Blogathon, today's prompt is to talk about three blogging goals. And while I never really "set in stone" how I want my blog to grow, I think this prompt gave me just enough of a push to think about what I really want with this space, especially within the next year.

Gain engaged followers.
This is probably on a lot of blogger's goals list but it makes sense. I really like the community I've been building through this blog, through reaching out to other bloggers on my own, link-ups and becoming a more active member of the Northeast Bloggers Network. Now I just feel like I need to maximize on that community so I can add followers to my social media sites. This past year I have noticed a pretty big leap in followers and I don't feel like I tried really hard for that to happen, so let's see what trying brings to this blog, shall we?

Figure out if I need to rebrand and do it, if so.
Since moving out of Pittsburgh and then creating Marion Claire Stationery, I have felt the need to rebrand this blog to be more cohesive to everything I'm dipped into and that really just means, my name alone. I'd ideally like to (personally) find some roots in the next year, so that will determine whether or not I'd like to keep "the City" but I'm sure that in the next few years, my name will also change. So I have to figure out whether to wait until the name change or to go for it now. But I feel like the upcoming changes in my personal and professional life will tell me whether or not that rebrand is needed, it's just a process that I'd like to narrow down in the next year.

Write more here and there.
I'd really like to up my game in the next year. I started this year off with a bang and was posting really consistently, but when I started Marion Claire Stationery, I really let myself focus on other things. At the time, that was great, obviously I started a business and have made it into something worth noting during that time. However, now that Marion Claire is up and running and has her shit together, it's time to promote that girl. I want to write more on my blog and do a lot of guest posting for other blogs either for Marion Claire or just guest posts in general. I love writing and connecting with new readers, so if you want a guest post, hit me up!

What are your blogging goals for 2015?

Pinspiration Station

Remember when I told you guys that I would have some big news for you soon? Well, it's still a secret and it's still on it's way, but right now I'm in the middle of it and just want to launch. But I cannot because it's not perfect and not ready and not enough. Why do we put ourselves down so much? I know that this project is going to take a lot out of me for quite a while, but every time I get to work on it, I'm in heaven, so why don't I focus on that instead of the nitpicking of the tiniest details?

Easier said than done. I know that this will be a huge endeavor, that I really want it to be long-term and successful. I know that this takes time and energy and that it's not going to be exactly what I want right from the get-go, but instead of letting that fuel me, I sometimes let it be a block in my path. Why? Do any of you do this too? I  feel like this is where Pinterest becomes a problem because we so easily get trapped in comparing ourselves to others, but I've been trying to use it as a motivator. Beautiful designs and inspirational words. Trying to help it fuel me today, and hopefully it'll help you guys out too. I don't feel like I'm in a rut, which is a great. But I just feel like I'm right on the edge of where I want to be before launch and it's killing me to keep pushing to get there. I know all of what I have to do before then and I know things will fall into place and happen as long as I keep guiding it and working hard. Blood, sweat, and tears pay off, right?

25 before 25

I've seen this on a few other blogs and I like the idea of making goals for the next year of life. Tomorrow I turn 24 so here's a list of what I want to do before I turn 25. We'll see how it goes!

1. Run in something. (I don't care if it's a 5K or a marathon, I'm doing something)

2. Start a career - for real. 

3. Save moo-luh! (Seriously)

4. Live totally solo! (As in no parents, no roommates)

5. Convince MJ to put a ring on it. (If he had his way, we'd be engaged now, so this shouldn't be too hard.)

6. Find & perform at a slam poetry event.

7. Love more deeply.

8. See the Pens play at Consol. (I haven't been to a Pens game since they built  Consol! What kind of Pittsburgher am I!?)

9. Drop some lbs.

10. Grow Chels & the City (In whatever way that goes best.)

11. Attend a zumba class. (Everyone says this is such a great workout that I have yet to try.)

12. Buy more (semi-sensible) heels. (Most of my heels are just fashionable, not work-appropriate.)

13. Learn to make awesome drinks & drink them with friends. (I have bartended a bit in the last two years and I really like it, but want to learn more and why not share with friends?)

14. Use my sewing machine to make something for me. (Since I got my sewing machine, it's been a lot of repairing other peoples clothing, I want to make something for me.)

15. Teach something to someone. (Whatever that means, I felt the need to put it down.)

16. Record some songs with my brother, Eric.

17. Get more ink! (I'm craving another tattoo like a crazy person.)

18. Network! (This is oddly hard for me. So I have to work on it to be a fabulous, young professional.)

19. Mail birthday cards to friends/family. (I did pretty good with this, this year but I'd like to send more.)

20. Speaking of cards, start the greeting card line. (I love greeting cards, but usually spend too much time in the card aisle because nothing is just right, so I want to start making all my own. Might as well sell them too!)

21. Read more. (I was good about this too, but can always improve.)

22. Throw an awesome party! (Why not?)

23. Travel! (Again, why not?)

24. Buy a decent camera. (Because really, I neeeeed one.)

25. Sponsor a blog. (This will go with #10.)

I dream of...{my first link up}

For this post, I am linking up with one of my favorite blogs, Coming Unstitched, and sharing with you guys some of my dreams and aspirations for my future. So I hope you all enjoy a little inside look into the bigger picture of my life goals and be sure to look at the other blogs in this link-up too!

1...learning everything! (Okay, not everything, not even close, but a lot of things.) Education is so important to me and quite frankly, has up to this point defined me. While I am currently in the process of earning my master's degree at Point Park, I would also someday like to earn my PhD. I don't see doing that in the near future, but I do see finishing my master's very soon and knowing that eventually, the PhD will find it's way into the plans.

Glad this cutie is on board for all of these dreams too!

2...marrying my best friend. This person is MJ. And I do not imagine that will ever change, but he is already so much a part of me that I cannot wait to eventually call him husband. Though that seems too adult for us now, he is so much more than just my boyfriend. He's my support, my inspiration, just everything I could ever need or want in a man and more. He has his own list of dreams too and thankfully, they align with mine! I have prayed my whole life for a love like this and I truly believe God has provided it to me through MJ. And he's cute, so that's a plus!

3....building my career. I have so many ideas and lists of things I want to do for a "job." And thankfully, I am glad that I live in this time where women are free to take on all sorts of jobs, just like the guys AND in a time where jumping from place to place or job to job is not frowned upon, but shows growth in a career path. I want experience. I want to do all kinds of things. I want my resume to be as thick as the September issue of Vogue when I'm ready to retire. Jobs I would like to include in this are anything in non-profits, magazine editing, event/wedding planning, my own fashion line, being in PR and advertising, finish writing a novel (or two), working in higher education, becoming a professor, the list goes on...

4....traveling around the world! Whether it means living in different places or just visiting, I just want to see the world. Specifically, I want to be able to spend at least one night in every state, and go to Australia, London, Greece, France and Ireland. Really, I'd visit anywhere. I just want to soak up other cultures, it goes along with the education aspect because I want to be able to learn about people and the places they love.

5....doing something that matters. I believe that we are all on this Earth to do something that glorifies and brings someone to God. I want to be able to do that in some way, some how...I'll let Him take the lead on this one but I pray that I will be able to make this a part of my career path too so that I can be involved in it daily.

6....being a fabulous mommy to beautiful babes. Yep. Simply put.

7....enjoying life. So far I think I've been doing this one pretty well. But in the future I want it to include building a beautiful home with my husband, creating a career I love, helping my babes learn to love life and love God, loving my friends and family with every fiber of my being, not worrying about debt (but not over-spending) and just above all, creating memories and leading a life worthy of living.

8....making it to Heaven. I'm sure this life will be great and so much is ahead of me that I look forward to, but I know it's not promised to me either. I'm excited to soak up every worthy experience but I'm more excited to eventually be able to just stand in awe and personally thank Jesus for his sacrifice. I just cannot even imagine how awesome it will be.

I'm sure I am forgetting something, but I don't have a set "bucket list" because I do not think it's fair to yourself to live off of a  list, hoping the check everything off at some point. We have too many "to do" lists, putting the fate of our lives on a limiting list seems ridiculous to me. I would rather just live, just do, and just enjoy life and its experiences as they come to me and as I create them. That might be why this list of my dreams isn't really too specific either, but that's alright with me. So, what are some of your dreams?