Belle's New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year, dear readers! 2014 was wonderful – full of highs and lows – just as every year. I’ve got high hopes for 2015, and I’m going to share my intentions for the year ahead with you! Let’s get real and talk about what’s on my mind…

IN 2015 I WILL:

1. PRIORITIZE MY HEALTH:

I’ll be honest. I’ve abandoned some of the practices that are most important to me over the last few months as working and blogging got busy. But exercise and healthy eating are the keys to my happiness, first and foremost. When I’m taking care of my body, then my mind, my home, my relationship and everything else that I need to feel content will follow.

2. SPEND MORE – ON NICE SHOES; SPEND LESS – ON PIECES THAT DON’T LAST:

Yes, I have my rules around spending as little as possible for good brands but I’ve realized this year that this rule has its limitations, especially when it comes to shoes. I’ll buy trendy, hot shoes but when the quality isn’t great, I won’t get to enjoy them for very long before they look worn and messy. Expect to see more shoes like these beauties on my blog in 2015 – on sale, of course!

3. TAKE BETTER CARE OF MY BELONGINGS:

I’m going to clean up all my wool sweaters covered in pills, mend all those hems that have come undone, moisturize all my leather items and finally use the lovely dust cloths that come with all my handbags for storage.

4. CREATE SOMETHING WITH MY HANDS:

So much of my time is spent creating content that gets thrown out into the ether – it’s time to make something I can hold and share with others. I’ve got a pile of gorgeous leather scraps and a great idea, so I’m gonna get to cutting, sewing and designing ASAP. Stay tuned for my new venture coming soon!

5. NOURISH MY SKIN AND FACE:

Let’s face it (get it?!), once you enter your 30’s, your skin just doesn’t bounce back the same way – a night with little sleep or a stressful day really shows. It’s time I really cared for this mug of mine! I commit to washing my face, using masks & peels and nourishing my skin from head to toe with moisturizers galore. My eyebrows and teeth will also get special attention, too! A girl’s gotta groom!

6. MAINTAIN CLEAN AND MANICURED HANDS AND FEET:

Maintaining your hands and feet should be a given, but it’s often the first thing I let go when time is short. One thing leads to another and then I haven’t had a mani/pedi in weeks (okay fine, months). Not this year. Did I mention that real women groom themselves?!

7. WRITE LETTERS AND READ BOOKS:

I spend so much time on the computer, and I really need to remind myself to decompress and step away from the screen. This year, it’s time to get in touch with people I know and to read about those I admire.

8. BEGIN BEAUTY POSTS ON BELLE MEETS WORLD:

Now that I’m sharing all my points of view with you around style, I’m ready to expand to beauty! I can’t wait to bring makeup and hair tutorials to this blog in the coming weeks!

9. FIND MORE CONTRIBUTION OPPORTUNITIES WITH OTHER BLOGS AND ONLINE FORUMS:

I’ve been so lucky to take on the role of Beauty Contributor for one of my favorite blogs in Chicago, ChiTown Fashionista this year, and I’ve also got something in the works with Groupon coming soon. So much content is brewing in this brain, and I can’t wait to get it out there in other forums.