This is it. The last day of the year. The day where most individuals make some pretty ambitious goals and promise themselves to learn from any mistakes they made in the previous year. I know I personally have learned so much in the past 12 months, and still have a lot to learn in the upcoming year. I have also spent a great deal of time considering both the personal and professional goals that I hope to achieve in the New Year. Here are few of my thoughts on 2015 and some of my dreams for 2016:

Reflections

1. It’s surreal for me to look back and realize that just six months ago I was a student in my fifth year of post-secondary with uncertainty about my future. I have always wanted to pursue a career in Marketing or Human Resources, and promised myself that I would work hard to achieve that goal. I am most proud of myself for pushing through the endless hours of studying, presentations, papers and the all-nighters; my efforts were rewarded by being named to the President’s Honour Roll. I was also fortunate enough to be given an offer of employment after my placement at StaffStat/Plan A, beginning a career that I am very passionate about. I am a firm believer in working hard to achieve your dreams, and I believe that I did just that.
2. I also set another goal for myself this year that may seem small to some. I wanted to find an apartment that I loved and I did not want to settle. I have lived on my own when I moved away for school, but I wanted a place that I could call my own while still being close enough to my family and friends. I moved into my apartment at the end of August and absolutely love having a quiet place all to myself.
3. Being in school sometimes puts a damper on your social life. For the first time in a long time, I was able to enjoy my summer and fall weekends completely stress-free; I did not have to worry about studying, group projects or last minute case studies. I spent many days and nights at my cottage enjoying the fantastic weather, and in the backyard by the fire surrounded by my friends and family. These little moments made me realize how important it is to relax and enjoy life with your loved ones.

Resolutions

1. Ramp up my LinkedIn presence. I first created a LinkedIn account when I was a student and was pretty uncertain of its purpose. I now see that this social media tool has so much value and in 2016 I promise to make greater use of it. I will publish my blog posts on my profile regularly and add new connections whenever feasible.
2. Schedule all posts ahead of time. When I first started using HootSuite I was scheduling posts 3-5 days in advance. Being able to work from home one day per week allowed me to schedule posts for two or more weeks in advance across all of our companies’ social media networks. In the New Year, I will continue to set aside a few hours per week in order to schedule posts and focus on more important projects.
3. Keep myself organized. I purchased an 18 month planner in the summertime and it has greatly increased my time-management and organizational skills. I have a tendency to stop using my planner a few months into the New Year, but in 2016 I vow to make better use of it, especially for list-making and goal-setting.
4. Write more. The A Dot Blog has been quite the success story so far! I am incredibly proud of the team of ladies that submit their blogs daily. We’ve been working on the blog collectively for 4 months, and we have published a post every day of the work week! That’s over 80 posts! It has not always been easy as I sometimes struggle with blog ideas. In the New Year I have made it a priority to find new and exciting blog topics and write my posts in advance. This will not only ensure that I do not fall behind on deadlines, but that I will continue to enjoy the writing process.
5. Read often. I have always considered myself an avid reader. I enjoy picking up a great book and getting lost in the pages. For the past few years being busy with school, I have not been reading as much as I would have liked to. In 2016, I am challenging myself to read at least one book per month. Reading has always sparked my creativity, so I think it’s incredibly important to revisit this hobby again.
6. As mentioned previously, I think that it’s so important to unwind from work and all life’s stresses to allow yourself time to relax and refocus. In the upcoming year, I would like to go on a few mini road trips down South to visit family and friends, spend quiet nights by the fire, attend at least three music concerts, and enjoy the beauty at our cottage.

I hope reading my blog has given you some thought as to what your goals are for 2016, and I wish you all the best at achieving them.

Happy New Year! Here’s to all your successes!