First and foremost, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and made many great memories.

It’s the first week of the New Year and it’s the perfect time to reflect on the past year, look forward to the future and make attainable goals for the days ahead. I know that personally in the past I have struggled to create resolutions that I would likely stick to. The A Dot Blog was a space created for myself and co-workers to share content related to our careers and daily lives. It also became an outlet for me to type out my resolutions in a public space. I felt I would be more likely to hold myself accountable to my goals if everything was out there on the world wide web instead of in a journal tucked away in my desk. It’s very neat to scroll back through hundreds of posts and re-read the goals that I set for myself 365 days ago and become inspired for today’s post in which I will be reflecting upon the goals I set for myself back in 2016 and establish new goals for this brand new year.

Six resolutions I made last year: 

1. Ramp up my LinkedIn presence: I vowed to use LinkedIn more often in 2016 by connecting with individuals and sharing content. I feel that while I did share content and engage a little more, I could have connected with more individuals. I will work on the latter in 2017.
2. Schedule all posts ahead of time: At the end of 2015 I was scheduling posts a few days in advance and I promised myself that I would get in the habit of using Hootsuite more effectively to schedule posts further in advance. I feel that I have accomplished just that; I am very acquainted with Hootsuite and this tool has been a game-changer for me. It has helped me organize my content, schedule posts weeks in advance and help me make better use of my time.
3. Keep myself organized: I believe I am generally a very organized person, however, I promised myself that I would make use of my 18-month planner for list-making and goal-setting. Unfortunately, (as usual) I stopped using the planner a few months into the new year. I did, however, make lists frequently on sticky notes, scrap paper, etc. and this strategy worked well for me so I will likely forego the planner this year and stick to what is already effective for me.
4. Write more: In 2015, The A Dot Blog made its debut. Since then, we have collectively published over 300 posts. In 2016 I committed to continue writing regularly for The A Dot and schedule all my personal blog-related content in advance. I am proud to say I achieved just that! Oftentimes I was 2-3 posts ahead, which was a huge relief and time-saver. I will definitely aim to continue this trend in 2017.
5. Read more: There’s nothing I love more than cozying up with a tea and a great book, which is why I set a goal for myself to read at least one book per month, and I was able to reach it! Some of my favourite reads from 2016: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Fundamentals of Caring by Jonathan Evison, The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan, and Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. This is one resolution that I really would like to keep up with in 2017.
6. Unwind: I believe that self-care should be high on every one’s list of priorities, which is why in 2016 I focused on spending time doing things that I enjoyed outside of work; I took a few road trips, spent many summer nights by the bonfire with friends and family, and spent many lazy days relaxing at the lake. I had a very enjoyable year, and I want to ensure 2017 is even better!

A few resolutions for 2017:

Besides the resolutions I have already listed above, I would like to:

1. Spend more time on professional development: In 2016 I completed an amazing online Social Media course where I learned a lot about blogging, scheduling posts and creating campaigns. In 2017 I would like to spend even more time learning and growing professionally.
2. Get more quality sleep: I have a habit of taking my phone with me to bed and scrolling endlessly on YouTube and Facebook which ultimately leads to me getting fewer hours of sleep. In 2017 I aim to get at least 7 hours/night.
3. Write even more:  I know technically I already made this a resolution in terms of blog-writing, but in 2017 I would like to keep a journal where I write down various things, such as thoughts, dreams, goals, etc.

I hope every one takes some time to pause and reflect on the previous year and set goals for themselves to make 2017 their best year yet. Good luck!