Helloooooo friends! After nearly a full month of traveling, I’m back in Dallas. And back at school.
I used to think I could travel for forever. This break made me realize that that was so not the case. Don’t get me wrong: I absolutely loved every single second of my trip (even though I was sick as a dog the entire time!)… but I was really ready to get back to my own bed in my own apartment by the end.
As you may have noticed, I took a few weeks off from blogging. I had originally intended to work through my trips, but, once I arrived in Europe, I realized that I needed a break: I needed to unplug, to spend time with the friends I was visiting, and become inspired once again. I used my time last week in Colorado to look back on 2017, plan out my content for 2018, and generally get back in the groove of things. And now I’m ready to go… with a few things I’m excited about in 2018.
What I’m Wearing:
Top: J.Crew / Skirt: J.Crew / Sweater: H&M / Boots: Aerosoles, c/o / Bag: Sole Society
Earrings: LOFT / Rings: similar, BaubleBar / Sunglasses: LOFT / Nail Polish: Essie, c/o / Camera used: Sony
Before we dive in to all of the things I’m excited about in 2018, a few housekeeping items:
First, after much consideration, I’ve decided to cut out my Tuesday shopping posts and cut down to three posts per week: Monday, Wednesday (Blogging Basics), and Thursday. When I managed to get a post up on Tuesday, I always felt like it was so… meh. Just entirely subpar. And a lot of the time, I didn’t even get a post up on Tuesdays because I felt so meh about writing them. Since y’all tend to prefer my longer posts with substance anyways, why not trim the fat and get rid of Tuesday altogether?
Second, starting this week, I will be hosting weekly giveaways on my various platforms. There will be a different task every week which you must complete in order to enter the giveaway. Each week, one lucky winner will receive one item from a list of my favorite products (like this volumizing powder and these hair ties – I swear by them!). Little gifts, I know, but I just want a way to thank each and every one of you for following me. It’s my hope that winning one of these items brightens your day the same way y’all brighten mine on a daily basis (cue the awwwwww).
In order to enter, you must register through the widget included at the bottom of each post. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to enter this week’s giveaway!
5 Things I’m Excited About in 2018
1. I’m graduating!
I’ll be graduating this May and embarking on the next chapter of my life. As I announced recently, I received an offer of employment earlier this fall – I’ll be working full-time here in Dallas (while still blogging!).
My job offers great travel perks, so I’m currently trying to figure out where I want to travel to during the second half of 2018. Let me know what your favorite destination is in the comments below!
2. I’m buying a house!
I actually announced this recently on my Instagram Stories. Now that I know that I’ll be in Dallas for the foreseeable future, I’ve decided to formally set down my roots and buy a house. I’ve lived in Dallas since August of 2013, and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else – I’m so excited to buy a place in the city I love (and decorate it!!).
To help get me in the right mindset, I have a Pinterest board full of interiors inspiration. I’ll also be featuring walk-throughs of each house I tour on my Instagram Stories over the next few months, so make sure you’re following me!
3. The blog is getting a facelift.
Later this year (likely this spring or summer), there will be a major update to the blog. I absolutely cannot wait to show y’all what I have cookin’…. but let’s just say it’s going to be mad cool. It’ll be much more interactive. And travel will be a much bigger player with the launch of the new site.
4. Expansion of my travel vertical.
As mentioned above, travel will become a bigger content focus over the course of 2018. Already, my travel posts are my most frequently visited and most pinned posts on the site. And – let’s be real – they’re some of the most fun posts to create.
5. And some travel to fill that vertical.
As I stated earlier, my job will require a lot of travel and has great travel perks so I anticipate traveling a lot once work starts in August. But August is far away… so I obviously have a few trips planned between now and then! So far, I know I’ll be traveling to Austin a few times, to Canyon Ranch and Phoenix, and then to Italy and Greece this summer (I’ve never been to Greece so I’m very excited for that!).
In addition, this fall, after I start work, I plan on taking a trip to Ithaca to visit the alma mater with one of my best friends from undergrad… and hopefully another trip to Europe for the holidays (perhaps Germany this time?). All in all, there are plenty of things to be excited about in 2018!