image via SC Stockshop

Happy 2018! There is nothing quite as refreshing as the start of  a New Year. Yes, any day can serve as a reset point but January 1st has a little extra magic in it. Especially after the chaos that comes with the Holidays, a hard restart is much needed.

I believe in putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, I guess) when in comes to goals/focus points/priorities for the New Year. Especially here – now that it is out and published, I’ll be held accountable to update my many, many readers 😉 I’ve put a reminder on my calendar for a 3 month update so stay tuned!

Here we go, business and personal priorities. All centered on a restart and refresh. Hit the restart button and kick the not-so-good habits that were formed in 2017. Refresh old ideas and old ways of doing things, personally and professionally.

Top 3 KSE Priorities: Kelly Strong Events is still a new business so my focus remains on getting the word out about me, my work, my day-to-day. I truly believe that people want to and will work with those they feel like they know and feel the most comfortable with. Slowly but surely I’m seeing growth so the focus in 2018 will be to continue the grind.

1. More consistent posting/publishing – blog posts, social media posts, everything! I’m a huge Instagram fan and believe that’s where you can really get to know me best (because I do not post only wedding/event related pictures – truthfully, I think those accounts are kind of boring). But, when you aren’t consistent on Instagram, the algorithm will get you..less people see your post, less engagement. So it’s back to planning posts, posting multiple pics per day, specific Instagram content creation, and lots of story documentation. It’s my favorite platform because you can truly get creative so this should be an exciting challenge. As for blogging, I think it’s a great tool to get tips and advice out to readers. More brainstorming sessions and a good content calendar and I’ll be back on track. The goal is at least 1-2 posts concise, helpful posts per week.
2. Expand my Network – this is something I did a ton of at the very start of my business. I would get myself out there, spending days on the road introducing myself to local vendors. Once everything got busier, it was more difficult to dedicate the time to these “calls”. But they are crucial! If I can’t make it out in person, I can still introduce myself via email or direct message.
3. Try New Marketing Platforms – social media and networking have been my go-to methods but now it’s time to expand. I have a few ideas of where to take this so stay tuned until the three month update!

Top 3 Personal Priorities: these are all going to revolve around wellness and well-being. When you’re at your best personally, it impacts all areas of your life so positively. 

1. Back to the morning routine – this means up before the sun, a good workout, and some quiet time reading and writing. This is the only time of day you can absolutely control and I am always so happy once I’m up (just have to get those feet on the floor!) I’m a big Miracle Morning believer but it has been too long since my last good morning. SO… back to setting my sunrise alarm clock daily and back on the morning bandwagon (even before the New Year!)
2. Water! This is another big one that has been lacking for the last few months of the year. The goal is to drink at least half my body weight in ounces of water each day. When I track my intake, I do so much better consumption compared to the days that I just “try”. Being hydrated helps everything – my focus and attention, my skin, my overall feeling. There are no downsides! Put the coffee down, pick up the water.
3. Meet my move goal daily – in order to meet my move goal, I really need to have some kind of workout so this kills two birds with one stone..it MAKES me workout! It’s so easy to hibernate in the winter…it’s what I actually want to do every single day until it’s warm again but…alas, that’s just not an option. This year, I will not let myself fall in to a Winter doldrum!

There you have it! Business and Personal priorities for 2018. This year will be different & better because I am accountable to all of you 🙂

What are you focusing on in the New Year? Do you set priorities for work and business?