Tag: goals

Today is my thirty-eighth birthday. I woke up early this morning intending to spend time setting new goals and dreaming big for the year ahead. This is a yearly tradition for myself; I like to think about where I am, where I want to go, who I want to become, think big for our future and then figure out the steps I need to take to move closer towards seeing those dreams come to fruition. It’s no secret that I am a dreamer… Jamie would probably tell you that sitting down and dreaming about the future is one of my love languages and the way to my heart.

But something different happened this morning. As I started thinking to the future and worked to define new goals, something inside of me told me to just stop, reflect and give thanks. As my mind wandered through the blessings in my life, my heart nearly exploded as I thought through the people who fill my life with greater joy than any accomplishment, dream, wedding or project ever will. My family… my tribe… my people. They are my dream and the best part of life.

Dreaming big is a beautiful thing… but sometimes it causes you to rush past the beautiful life you might already have. It can be a struggle to find the balance of wanting more for your future while just being content in the moment. In the past I’ve feared that contentment would lead to complacency, but as I’ve grown older I’ve come to realize that contentment leads to greater joy.

So this morning I am going to hit the pause button on all my dreaming and scheming to be still, give thanks and enjoy the people I get to call “mine”.

And… of course I walked away with a few new goals for this beautiful year ahead. What are they? To love more fiercely, to give thanks more often, to choose joy and to be content through whatever my circumstances may be. Something tells me these new goals will give me the strength to soar to even greater heights.

Thirty-eight… you might be the best year yet.

photography: Alanna Maria Photography 

2013 was an exceptional year for us.  We changed the name of our business to Sinclair & Moore, completely rebranded our look, moved our design studio location to a farm and moved our residence to Seattle.  We were awarded “Best Wedding Planner in Seattle”. Our very productive wedding season was filled with amazing clients. Jamie got a vespa.  We went on a hot air balloon ride.   We traveled, rode bikes through Sonoma, developed deep and meaningful friendships, started this blog, ate lots of ice cream and baked dozens of cookies, pies and cakes (which we also ate).

Although I look back on the past year with fondness, I also welcome the start of this new year.  For me, a new year brings with it fresh possibilities and a renewed passion for following my dreams. I know most people are cynical about new year’s resolutions- but I love them.  I see them as a chance to hit refresh on life, set new goals and really determine who I want to be and what I want to become, and then start the new year with a re-centered purpose and passion.

I hope that my 2014 will be a year marked with a sense of ambition and adventure.  I want this to be the year I take risks,  embracing what’s unpredictable, trying new things and just putting myself out there.  I will fail at times, and succeed at others. Despite what ups and downs that will inevitably come my way,  a year from now I want to look back at 2014 and know I gave it everything I had and risked it all.

A Time To Risk

by William Arthur Ward

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out to another is to risk involvement,

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return,

To live is to risk dying,

To hope is to risk despair,

To try is to risk failure.

But risk we must, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

One may avoid suffering and sorrow,

but one simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, live or love.

Chained by one’s certainty, one is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

Cheers to a happy and risk filled new year!

photo credit:  Matthew Land Studios