HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!!!
This month (January 6th to be exact) Petite Plus, Meow! turns ONE YEAR old! I’m truly humbled by the positive response the blog has gotten so far. Thank you.
My very first outfit post, entitled: Peplum, Pencil Skirt and Pink Pumps really shows how green I was to the world of fashion blogging – complete with uncreative title, with no clue what I was really doing in terms of key words/tagging – simply publishing content with no one to read it, basically. Somewhere over the 170 blogpost write-ups of last year (yup…that’s how many there were), I think my personality, charm, wit and modesty ;) began to come across – or at least I hope it has.
As much as I love fashion – I’ve never felt like an authority on anything fashion related. This Fashion & Lifestyle blog started as a fun outlet – and continues to be a place to capture all those things I’m passionate about, new things I discover and try, thoughts and general musing that take place in my life, with the occasional quote/comic that inspire and amuse me …. shared with readers in hopes that you’ll enjoy them too.
Two years ago, the world as I knew it was turned upside down, and I got an opportunity to reassess and really focus on me again. I began investing in higher quality fashionable pieces of clothing, shoes and accessories – decorating my outside in an effort to uplift my inside. The more ‘grey’ I felt, the more dressed up I would get, sticking to that old adage of ‘fake it ‘til I make it’…if I LOOKED happy and put-together then I’d eventually FEEL that way too. And it totally worked!
The last year of blogging has definitely helped boost my own self-image, self-love, body acceptance and self-confidence. And for that, I am forever grateful. As much as I loved my life last year – I often find myself asking “There’s gotta be more to life than THIS?”
I’m not really one for New Year Resolutions… but this year, my focus is simple: Getting and Staying Happy! :)
In an effort to figure out exactly how to get started with this lofty goal I applied the STOP-START-CONTINUE approach to behavioural change. It is also often used in feedback surveys in Adult Instruction (i.e., my day job). In business management before the new year begins management will often ask these three questions:
1. What can we STOP that is not producing the desired outcome?
2. What can we START doing to produce the results that we are looking for?
3. What are we doing that we should CONTINUE doing that is working/producing the desired results?
This same business principle can be applied to our own life in making this year the best year possible. In order for this to really be effective, we do need to set goals and monitor the progress so we can make corrections as they are needed, but this is a good start to turning an idea into action. Better than a New Year Resolution I think :)
OK. Now that I’ve explained the concept, let me apply it … and by capturing it on the blog it will keep me accountable to monitor the progress of each item – win:win.
2015 will be the year I will STOP:
- Making excuses for people. When people show you their true colours – believe them, the first time. This applies to everyone – friends – old and new, love interests, family members, co-workers and networking contacts. “Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who love you no matter what.”
- Being overly critical of myself and of others, when it comes to my career-expectations. I need to adjust my expectations – personal fulfilment and satisfaction isn’t solely achieved in or by one’s work-life. And that’s ok.
2015 will be the year I will START:
- Shopping Less and Travelling More – with or without a travel mate. Which means I gotta learn to drive. Drivers and pedestrians of Toronto streets, you’ve been warned. Dun dun dunnnn…
- Turning off Netflix to read more. Perhaps we can start a virtual book club on PPMeow! Thoughts?
- Cook more using recipes I’ve never tried before. And sharing my accomplishments and fails on the blog.
2015 will be the year I will CONTINUE:
- Blogging and Instagram’ing regularly about What I Wore AND What I Did. Outfits of the Day, shopping sprees, fashion collaborations and new collection launches, as well as reviews of the various products I try, events I attend and other lifestyle activities I participate in …especially if for the first time.
- Surrounding myself with positive, interesting, enthusiastic, fun people. Motivational speaker Jim Rohn famously said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. When it comes to relationships, we are greatly influenced — whether we like it or not — by those closest to us. It affects our way of thinking, our self-esteem, and our decisions. Positivity begets positivity. Negativity….ain’t nobody got time for that.
TA-DAH!!! There you have it. My Action Plan for 2015. Are these things above gonna make me get and keep me happy? Who knows. But it’s a good start for the New Year ahead for PPMeow! :)
Hoping this first week of 2015 is starting of right for each of you….and that you’ll continue to follow me & the blog on our adventures all year long.
What do you have planned to tackle and accomplish this year? Taking a look at things in your own life – what can you do to make this year better than last year? Would you try using this STOP-START-CONTINUE approach to help you do just that? Tell me about it in the comment section.
Happy New Year once again, and let me know what positive changes you are making in your life.
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