New Year, New Agenda [tour of my ABM 2015 Planner]! + When Life Teaches You To Let Go of YOUR Plans!

I love this new A Beautiful Mess planner soo much!

Hi Friends! 


It feels like it has been a really long time since I’ve blogged/been apart of the blog-o-sphere. This past 3 weeks have been a doozie for me. In a good and not so good way. If you follow me over on Instagram then you know that I recently [as in the past 72 hours] just returned from Brazil. Where I spent 8 days vacationing with my boyfriend, Chris and spent the first four days traveling with my little brother, Blake. It was honestly the best experience of my life. It put me outside of my comfort zone a little bit, showed me one of the most beautiful [yet impoverished] places in the world and taught me to make the most of any situation. I of course will be sharing lots of photos from the trip and telling you all about it in a different post[s]. 

However, just days before leaving for Rio De Janerio I got really sick with the flu. I ran 102+ fever for 5 days straight, spent the night in the ER and was in the bed sick/recovering right until we left. I’m not going to lie, it was a rough 10 hour flight. But we made it safe and sound and after catching up on my sleep the 1st day there, I felt much better! 

ALSO, the day before coming down with the flu- we found out that Chris would be getting his last pay check January 1st. As his bosses unexpectedly furloughed everyone [effective immediately] in the studio at his job [as a photographer] until further notice. With potential work come April……say WHAT?! Days before Christmas, days before our first trip abroad and just sooo unexpected, as he just received a promotion and raise. 

the inside cover, where I have a bunch of stick notes and other papers washi taped in. These will change through out the year// get piled on.

1st page in the agenda. I taped in a project life card that I liked.

A Fujiinstax mini picture that I wrote on + taped onto the page + a sweet note Chris left for me on top of a new camera that he bought me for our trip to Brazil. // ALSO, I love all the quotes the included at the begining of each month in this agenda.

I know worse things could happen. I also know that we will be fine. Things will be tight for a while [living on my teachers salary], as we figure things out- but we will come out the other end of this stronger. One thing that these couple of weeks have taught me, is to let go. To not always have to be the one in control, because sometimes things are going to be completely out of my control. I can’t always be in the drivers seat, and sometimes I’m going to be stuffed in the back seat, with no view of where I am headed- BUT I will just have to make the most of  the trip I am on anyways.

This situation has also taught me to be really thankful for my job. Its not something that I talk much about here on the blog, as I kind of started this blog as a way to get away from my job. Many think because I teach elementary school art- that everyday is rainbows and butterflies, sprinkling glitter every where I go. Think what you will, but the reality is much different than that. I love what I do, so much. Art is/was my first love and I love teaching/sharing my passion with children for a living- it is a BLESSING. I would just say the relationship with my job can be more of a love/hate type of thing a lot of days. But in retrospect of everything that is happening with Chris’ job, it makes me so thankful for where I am at in my career and the stability it provides for myself + our family. It really does provide me with a wonderful life style + schedule, and if I am honest- that is one of the main perks of the job! AND I need not take that for granted. 

At the beging of each month is an area where you can write down your goals. I like, no LOVE using sticky notes + washi tape in my agendas. They are both easy to move around when plans/your mind changes.

Decorating + adding stickers to my agenda helps me stay inspired + makes me want to actually use it more. I usally decorate when I'm bored, during a faculty meeting or something ;P

month at a glance, mostly just blog plans right now.

If you would have asked me what my goals were for 2015 a month ago, they would have been much more calculated and specific- which to a point, I think is important. Because I have learned that with out some type of plan, things usually don’t just happen- more like they stay exactly the same. However, my perspective has changed a bit these past 3 weeks. Between being thrown a curve ball in life, and traveling to a country where EVERYTHING is just so different [the way of life is much more simple], it has made me reevaluate what I see for myself in this coming year + what I want. And I’ve realized its not a life of go-go-go, do-do-do, work-work-work. I really just want to be. And be happy with that, no matter whats going on. At peace. And I don’t think there is a certain plan/formula one can follow to find peace. I think its just a point that one can reach, with the right mindset…….’OOOOMMmmmmmmmm…’ [hehe, is it working yet?!] 

Feb. 2015

My b-day is in Feb. so I already did a little pre-decorating ;P

So on that note, today I thought I would share with you photos of how I keep my mind straight with my agenda for the new year [A Beautiful Mess Planner]. I’ve shown how I have it set up and decorated, to help keep me motivated and in my planner through out the year. Also, I’m sharing with you some of my personal goals for 2015, as well as goals for the blog and around our loft. 

March 2015

In the back, Year at a glance.

In the back, goals for each season.

Goals for Myself [2015] :

1. Become more financially aware + responsible. PAY DOWN STUDENT LOANS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! [I am reading Dave Ramsey to help me out]. 
2. Be more adventurous/travel + spend more time outdoors.
3. Have more ‘me time’. Put myself first & take care of myself mentally, physically, and spiritually. 
4. Become less lazy. Establish healthier routines [starting with an earlier bedtime] and getting more organized personally and professionally. 
5. Set up my own online shop + expand my business as an artist/blogger. Paint more! 

Goals for the Blog [2015] :

1. Get my LLC for My Friend Court.
2. Open up an online shop.
3. Establish a writing routine. [i.e. pre-writing saturday mornings at a coffee shop or weekdays after school, editing sunday night in bed, and publishing through out the week.]
4. Regular posting 3-5 times a week, with ‘deeper’ content. 
5. Re-do website + create archive files. 
6. Social media with more intention. The goal being to spend less time on each platform, yet maintaining a healthy presences to help my brand grow + to stay inspired without it feeling like its too much.

To Do for the Loft  [2015] :

1. Organize the laundry room + add shelves.
2. re-do patio : plants, plants, plants [I want it too feel like BRAZIL!], new seating [hammock please?!], 
3. new outdoor rugs, D.I.Y. cement stones.
4. Buy new rugs for the loft : living room, dinning room, kitchen and bedroom. 
5.  D.I.Y. tuffet couch cushions + give couch new legs.
6.  Decorate upstairs master bathroom. 

In the back, stickers + place for note taking.

And on the back cover a pocket, where I have more sticky notes + stickers.

So where are you at in 2015? Did 2014 throw you any curve balls? or teach you any life lessons? Let me know below, or shoot me an email! I’d love to hear from you :) 

Psst! A BIG thank you to April + Liv for doing guest post while I was away. Incase you missesd them here, here and here!