26 before 27

I must admit my last year’s goals kind of stunk. Okay, they weren’t THAT bad, but I don’t think I was very thoughtful when I came up with them. I was coming up with stuff to put on my list because I had blanks to fill in. Maybe that’s why I only completed like a third of them. I wasn’t SUPER excited about crossing them off my list.

This year I couldn’t be MORE excited about my list of goals! Maybe I got wiser this past year. ;) I feel like I was genuine when I came up with this list. I asked myself WHAT I wanted to accomplish, WHY I wanted to do it, WHERE do I want to be next year and HOW can I get there? I've tried to answer sincerely.

I’ve broken them up into different categories. This was done after-the-fact so that I could be more organized when I’m working on them.

Note: I kept some of my goals from last year on my list, because I really do want to do them.

To make my goals more attainable I’ve included brief notes [mostly for myself] on ways I will be able to achieve them. I’m going to create a binder with my goals and evaluate monthly to see how I’m progressing, as well as see if I need to make any changes. I might even do a blog update once a month to share how I’m doing; a little accountability doesn’t hurt, right? I’m aiming to work on [some goals are on-going] or complete 2+ goals a month.

Friends & Social
1. Meet Amanda irl
2. Visit my Seattle girls [happening October 2011]
3. Attend Ignite Boise [October 2011]
4. Reach over 600 followers on twitter
5. Blog consistently and increase my blog followers [100+]
6. Host a giveaway on my blog [when I reach 100 followers—ideas: photography prints, photography session, etc.]
7. Meet one or more twitter/blogger friends irl [Amanda, Ignite Boise, Seattle tweeters in October]

Faith
8. Read the Bible cover to cover [tentatively following THIS plan, printed & kept in Bible or by my night stand]
9. Participate in the Women’s Bible Study at church and be prepared for each class [Starting September 2011, with Becoming a Woman of Simplicity by Cynthia Heald]

Finances
10. Get out of debt and save money, create a monthly budget [Live like no one else. cc: Dave Ramsey—see #14]
11. Move out of my parent’s house [Spring 2012, plan & budget expenses—see #14]

Photography
12. Get current on my photo albums [attends mom’s monthly crops & scrapbook events, finish traditional album then become strictly digital]
13. Take photos with my Holga and get them developed via The Darkroom
14. Be the top seller for Bella Baby Photography in Boise [become “The Closer” & maintain a consistent income]
15. Become a certified Bella Life Photographer [contact Dina & Stacey]
16. Brainstorm photography concepts and create two personal photo series
17. Take a photography class [lighting? portrait? studio? where?]
18. Expand my personal photography business through senior portrait sessions and family sessions [Senior Reps & Family session add-ons to Senior Sessions]

Fun
19. Go on a date [I don’t know how this will happen. Are you there God? It’s me, Ashlee…]
20. Make a dress [design & sew, make my own pattern, create a muslin sloper first]
21. Have a movie marathon [Steve Martin movies – re: Heather's goals]
22. Build a fort/tent inside on a rainy day [even better if it coincides with #21]

23. Develop my personal style, do the 30x30 challenge [Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer—at least one time, possibly two]
24. Complete Red Velvet’s Blog E-Course & Dream Job E-Course [create binder with all info, complete lessons bi-weekly]

Life/Misc.
25. Maintain organization in my life, personally and work-related, via filing system [clean out old files, new filing boxes—personal & work, monthly folders, research organization methods, systems. find what works best for me.]

26. View the following documentaries: Beyond The Bottle [Miir] and Finding Kind [Kind Campaign] and donate to each organization

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