Reporting live from Miami! I am taking the day off to catch up on administrative work. You know, the super un-sexy stuff like answering emails, editing imagery and writing. On days like today, I slip into one of my fiancé’s old college t-shirts and comfy leggings so what you see pictured is not what I look like on the regular! Just saying…

Last month was truly a blur. Part of the reason why I didn’t post a “Life As I Know It” entry was because we were slammed with my apartment content. Then, we flew to the Bahamas, waltzed right into Miami Art Week, celebrated my fiancé’s birthday and landed on the busiest time of year — the holidays! Caught off guard by this, I asked my assistant, “What day is it today?” thinking it was surely Thursday when it was actually Saturday. I kept telling myself (and what I generally do during times like these) to compartmentalize each hour because it was the only way I could focus and power through. By the end of Art Week, I crashed. (I have this horrible tendency to over work myself into a state of exhaustion.) I told my fiancé, “I can’t keep working at this pace…” He agreed as he pulled me close…eventually falling asleep on his chest as we watched The Holiday.

I used to be the girl who wrote down all my goals for the New Year. Then, things changed after my conversation with a friend who didn’t believe in resolutions. His argument? Why start January 1st? We all have goals, some that change form before the year ends, so why not check-in every few months with yourself to ensure you’re happy and on track? Sounds idealistic, but to me, he had a point. From then on, I changed my outlook on resolutions.

But there are some things I want to change now to help me stay on track…and since most of my work concludes at the end of December this year, I figured, “why not jot down what I want to achieve in 2020?”

Today I’m sharing part one. Later this month I plan to expand on this topic in part two…

Buy better.

Ask yourself, “What do I really need this year?”

I’ve spoken about this topic AT LENGTH, but “buying better” will continue to be at the forefront of 2020 for me. This means being more sustainable, which can be achieved in many different ways (such as wearing eco-friendly clothing, renting or shopping vintage). But true sustainability requires actually changing the consumer behavior by buying better…consistently. Breaking former habits and making small changes will help unlock a significant shift toward a sustainable culture. One example for me looks like having a well-curated collection of versatile pieces (that are made with good materials) in your closet (and not getting tossed by the sea of trends), which may require spending more money upfront. In doing so, you avoid having to replace the item next year or next season.

That’s why Brahmin has become one of my top brands I return to — each handbag is designed in Massachusetts using luxury materials from Italy and across the globe (and yet, remains accessible to all). Its designs are structured to be an everyday staple like the Mini Francine. And I love the way they’ve kept their integrity and continue to stand the test of time in every collection. If you’re still holiday shopping for your mom, best friend or yourself…I highly suggest a Brahmin bag, it’s stunning and a good choice to carry into the New Year!

Work smarter, not harder.

Mark Cuban famously says, “80% is better than nothing.”

I’ve also talked about this before, but I’m a recovering perfectionist. I place unrealistic expectations on myself that can result in me feeling incredibly frustrated and let down. Lately, this especially rings true…so for 2020 I aim to work on this and pinpoint areas in my job that I can make more efficient.

Capturing editorials and creating “perfectly” thought out imagery has been part of my DNA since I started (about 5 years ago!). However, with new changes in my business (and Instagram) last year, I realize I must shift my approach to best benefit myself and team. This looks like loosening the grip on photographing 100% editorials or striving for “perfect” imagery every time, and rather focusing on “in-the-moment” content and being more vulnerable with my readers. Trust me this is a slow process of letting go and a learning one for sure, but I promise I’m working on it. Being a creative who’s prone to perfectionism like any other, I struggle with the thought of my work being unfinished or not good enough. However, realizing I’m not the only one in this boat has encouraged me to rediscover why I love doing what I do and intentionally focus on that…and create anyways.

Which leads me to my next point…

Be kind to myself.

With a wedding on the horizon and so many changes taking place in my life right now, I owe it to myself to stop being so critical (i.e., “I’m not good at my job.” “I’ll never be successful.” “I’m failing…”). More than ever, I need my inner voice to be warm and supportive – like a best friend (it’s OK that my apartment is messy today…I’ve been working hard and I’ll get to it later). We all make mistakes and have weak moments. Rather than become engulfed by it, I choose to change the internal narrative and become more compassionate towards myself. Even at 31, I still struggle with this.

We all have different definitions of what success looks like for 2020. To me, it means continuing to make thoughtful decisions, choosing self-compassion and having a greater sense of self-worth that’s not tied up in whether or not I feel like I’m doing a good job. I’m thankful I was able to share this with you. And, I’m excited to look back on this in a year or so and see how much I’ve grown.