21 Things to Do in 2021 | 6 Month Check-In

21 Things to Do in 2021 | 6 Month Check-In

Six months into 2021 and it felt time to check in on how progress is going on my 21 Things to Do in 2021 List. If you want to see the reasoning behind these 21 things, go check out that post first.

Create an embroidery design from my own pattern

The photo of the embroidery project farther down in this post is in fact my own creation! I still very much love doing kits, but it was fun to try something on my own.

Do a pull-up

So I’m definitely not there yet, but I’m WAY closer than I was at the start of 2021. With rock climbing a couple of times a week I see a lot of progress and I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to do this by the end of the year.

Visit my best friend in Washington or her here

My best friend Lauren came to visit for a number of days in February and it was completely glorious. Days of Stardew Valley, junk food, and staying in our pjs all day.

Create more than five board game videos

I’ve done two board game videos so far and think I can definitely hit five by the end of the year!

Read 12 books

Done and dusted. This one was actually way easier than I expected. I plowed through a ton of books in the first few months of the year. Of course now I’m back to not reading at all…

Go for a hike

Now what exactly counts as a hike? I feel like I’ve been on quite a few walks and adventures, but don’t know if they count as a “hike.”

Housewarming for my sister

My older sister and her husband are building a house that will be hopefully finished sometime in November. I’d love to help them throw a party to celebrate.

Keep up with Powersheets

This one is marked in a different color because I completely abandoned Powersheets just a few short weeks after 2021 started. I just don’t like structuring my goals this way and it put a lot of pressure on me for no reason. So off the 21 things list…

floral embroidery

30 day yoga challenge

With all the rock climbing we’ve been doing I just haven’t felt the urge to do yoga, but with the heat of the summer making rock climbing too hot, this may be my summer activity after all.

Bake macarons

I have legitimately everything I need to make macarons, but the fear of failure and constant warnings from the internet about their difficulty have put me off of the idea. I still haven’t mustered the energy to give them a go.

Climb the hardest wall at the rock climbing gym

Now that I know more about rock climbing, this to do had good intentions, but is a bit off base. I’ve climbed some seriously difficult routes for myself, but the “hardest rock wall” is probably out of the question.

Play all unplayed board games

Alex and I are slowly making our way through our unplayed collection now that we can have a few friends over.

Mulch flower beds

We bought WAY too much mulch and it took ages, but our flowerbeds have never looked better. Plus I added a few new peony bushes this year.

Take a week off work

When Lauren came to town I took a week off work and it was amazing. Alex and I are making an effort to take more time off work this year and I think it’s been hugely beneficial to our mental health.

Finish the master bedroom

Well, there’s a dresser now but no headboard…but I feel like this room makes me content as it is…so does that mean it’s done?

Propagate plants

I tried my hand at propagation this year and I’m loving it. I’ve propagated around five different plants now and it’s way easier that I thought.

Solar system embroidery

I’m still deeply into embroidery, but this is a project I just haven’t felt inspired to do.

Organize pins by theme

One procrastinating day earlier this year found me organizing all of our pins and I love being able to see them based on theme now.

Miniature coffee shop model

Another project I haven’t felt the motivation to do. It seems like it will be a really great winter activity.

Declutter house of unnecessary things

I’m on a lifelong journey of ridding myself of unnecessary fluff in my life. Our house is more decluttered than ever before, but is it ever really DONE?

Celebrate my husband’s 30th birthday

Alex’s 30th birthday wasn’t as big as I had hoped it would be (here’s looking at you COVID), but I still think he had a great time celebrating with our “pod” of friends we hung out with to keep sane.

So overall I’m still really happy with these 21 things and it’s fun to try and accomplish these rather than goals. Even though technically that’s exactly what these are. Just without the pressure…

Goals for 2021

Goals for 2021

This year I’m ditching my past as a goal-quitter and going for it full on. If you haven’t visited YouTube in a while, I’ve been posting a series of videos about my goals for this year and how I plan to accomplish them. I’ll leave the videos linked at the end of this post if you fancy a watch.

Ok, admin things out of the way, let’s get into goals. They’re like doing the dishes or laundry in my mind. Something I definitely should do, but have really no motivation most of the time to do them. Or I’ll begrudgingly get it done but moan as I do it. I’m by no means a “goal getter” and cringe at the saying. Yet here I am, trying to grow as a person, moan a little less, and reach my goals that I’ve set out for myself. Even if I have to call them something other than “goals” to trick myself into thinking they’re just part of a bigger to do list.

Save Money

I can’t speak on how it’s like to save money for regularly employed people, but as a self-employed human it’s downright rigorous. Money stress is a daily occurrence in our household and I refuse to let the fear raise my anxiety any longer. So the plan is to set up a direct deposit monthly into our savings account. A small amount at first, but I want to continue to increase it as the months go on in hopes to have a decent nest egg in a year or so. Plus we have accounts scattered every which way so getting them all in one place will be nice, neat, and help us know exactly where we’re at rather than guessing.

Get Healthier

It’s not about losing weight or inches for me, but feeling healthier and stronger in my body. Working out hasn’t been something I’ve been able to stick with since high school, but I recently got a membership at a rock climbing gym and it seems promising. Right now I go with my husband Alex three times a week for a couple of hours. I even got my best friend Taylor and her son into it and they’ll be joining us some days. I think the key to sticking with healthier habits is to mix things up as much as possible. Rock climbing, workout videos, and yoga are on my list of currently viable options.

Focus on Crafts and Hobbies

I have a bad habit of turning my hobbies into jobbies and I would really like to have a few things that I do just for me. So I want to set time apart every night or a few times a week to work on my embroidery, read, and explore other interests.They may eventually turn into jobbies, I can’t make any promises, but for now I’m enjoying them just for me.

Reduce Comparison and Doubt

This definitely wouldn’t fall under the required S.M.A.R.T. goal definition, but is still a somewhat unmeasurable goal for me. This year I want to focus on my self worth, spend less time online, and work on self-development. I want to read more books, take more baths, and unfollow anyone that makes me feel bad about myself.

Grow the Wholesale Side of My Business

Not going to lie, I really haven’t a clue how I’m going to manage this. The stationery side of our business has fizzled out over the past couple of years so I rather not put too much money towards this goal. So I’m not quite sure what to do. I have a newsletter list, a collection of cute as hell cards, and focus. Let’s hope that’s enough to get a few wholesale clients this year.

Get My Blog and YouTube to Generate Revenue 

Another one of those goals that if I knew what I was doing, I would have done it already. I make VERY little money on my YouTube and this blog and I’d love to have it generate some revenue so I don’t feel bad spending time working on it when I could be working on something else. I’m going to do research, maybe sign up for an online class, and learn what I need to do to generate some revenue on this passion of mine.

floral embroidery

Boom. Goals. I much rather have a to-do list than a list of goals, but here’s to growth right?

21 Things to Do in 2021

21 Things to Do in 2021

We’re all more than happy to kick 2020 to the curb. Unfortunately as much as we can hope, I doubt January 1st will look that different. So I’m focusing on the positive and sharing my to do list to have something to look forward to in the upcoming year. What would be on your 2021 list?

Create an embroidery design from my own pattern

I’ve done a number of pre-made kits, but I’m excited to try my hand at drawing my own pattern and embroidering it. If you’re new to embroidery or are interested in learning more, check out this post on how to get started with embroidery.

Do a pull-up

Even at my strongest I’ve never been able to do a pull-up. I’m making it a goal that by the end of the year to do just one. With all this rock climbing I’m well on my way. If it doesn’t happen I’ll be bummed, but I’ll still be a hell of a lot stronger than when 2021 started.

Visit my best friend in Washington or her here

I’ve had the great misfortune i having my best friend live out of state for the majority of our 15 year friendship. We always make an effort to see each other at least once a year and I’d love to find a way to safely see her in 2021. Plus another trip out to Washington would be lovely.

Create more than five board game videos

I must admit, I’m a chicken when it comes to filming my board game videos. They’re the hardest videos for me to make because I want them to be perfect, filmed well, and full of details. I go as far as to write a script and shot list for each video to make sure I don’t miss anything. I’d love to do more in 2021. 

Read 12 books

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I used to LOVE reading. I would devour books whole, stay up way past my bedtime, and be in a real funk after a great story ended. I went through a phase of reading this past year, but had trouble sustaining it. I would love to read just one book a month because I truly do love it when I’m reading, I just have to get myself to remember that.

Go for a hike

I’m trying my damn best to be more active and increase my recreational activities. Michigan has countless hiking trails and really great views. I’m determined to take advantage of at least one of them.

Housewarming for my sister

My older sister and her husband are building a house in 2021 and I would love to throw her a housewarming no matter what it looks like pandemic wise. In person or online, I’d really love to celebrate this awesome accomplishment.

Keep up with Powersheets

Now if any of these to do list items won’t happen, it’s probably this one. I’ve tried to keep up with Powersheets in the past and have failed miserably, but this year I’m really happy with my goals and want to put my best effort into routinely checking back on how they’re going.

floral embroidery

30 day yoga challenge

Another one of those things I usually only get to day 16 of before falling off the bandwagon, but I refuse to let perfect be the enemy of good. I’m partial to Yoga with Adriene on YouTube who has a 30 day yoga journey starting in January.

Bake macarons

I have legitimately everything I need to make macarons, but the fear of failure and constant warnings from the internet about their difficulty have put me off of the idea. This year I’ll try, even if it results in a messy kitchen and nothing else to show for it.

Climb the hardest wall at the rock climbing gym

It’s the one you see right when you walk in. It’s tall, covered in crazy angles, and even the best climbers in the gym seem iffy about it. Now I’m not saying it’ll be pretty, but I want to get to the top of that route by the end of the year.

Play all unplayed board games

My husband and I are board game addicts and find ourselves with a handful on our shelves we have yet to even play. We played two of them on Christmas day and it was glorious. We’ll play the rest of them by year’s end.

Mulch flower beds

One of those adulting things I’ve put off for two years too long. I love my houseplants to death, but have really no interest in outdoor gardening despite my best efforts. I’ll be so happy with how our home looks with the mulch refreshed. Now to just keep reminding myself of that fact to encourage me to actually do it.

Take a week off work

I don’t even have to go anywhere, but I would love to take one random week off of work and turn everything off. Watch historical dramas, bake, play video games, and feel the gloriousness of being bored.

Finish the master bedroom

I’m so close to having the master bedroom fully decorated and I just need to finish it off. My husband has offered to make us a headboard and we need a dresser to deal with his constant floor-drobe issues, and it’ll be complete.

Propagate plants

I think it’s time to take my plant lady ways to new heights and start trying to propagate my plants. I would love it if every gift I gave in 2021 included a plant created from one in my collection.

Solar system embroidery

Alex and I had this collective idea for me to do a series of planet based embroidery. I think it will look so awesome to have all these finished hoops lined up in various sizes of the planets. It’s definitely going to be quite the undertaking.

Organize pins by theme

I have a lot of enamel pins. Like a lot. I’d love to take the time to organize them by theme and style one lazy weekend. 

Miniature coffee shop model

I’ve been itching to get started on my second miniature model. This coffee shop one is AMAZING and they’re so fun to put together. With my focus on crafting and hobbies in 2021, this is high on the list of things to create.

Declutter house of unnecessary things

I’m on a lifelong journey of ridding myself of unnecessary fluff in my life. I saw somewhere recently that said all that clutter in your house used to be money. That’s really stuck with me and although I cannot get even a quarter of that money back, I can rid myself of mental clutter and not feel like I’m one of those people who need a twelve person moving crew and two trucks to hold all of my posessions.

Celebrate my husband’s 30th birthday

Again I know it’s not going to be quite the same as years past, but I definitely want to do something special for Alex to celebrate his 30th year. Now the question is what. I’d love any ideas or help!

With only a few hours left until 2020 is a distant, horrible memory, I’m excited to start 2021 with positivity and a list of things to accomplish.

5 Questions You Should Ask Before Choosing Your Next Planner

5 Questions You Should Ask Before Choosing Your Next Planner

Sure we didn’t have anything really to put into our planners for 2020 (here’s a post about ideas if you don’t have anything to plan), but 2021 brings a lot of optimism. So while you’re shopping for your next planner, keep these five questions and your answers in mind.

Cultivate what matters

1. What did you like (and not like) about your current planner? Was it too big, too bulky, missing something you wish it had? Give yourself a pro/con list of your current planner so when you’re shopping around, you know what to look for.

2. How will your plans for 2021 be different than years past? Are you going to start working towards a new goal or business that you haven’t worked on in the past? Are you starting a new job? Growing your business? Make a list of all of the new things you might want to include in your new planner.

3. Budget? Your budget will really determine what planner brands you should consider. If you want to invest some money into your planner, consider higher end brands for more quality paper and styles. If you’re limited, head to your local Target to look at those options. Keep budget restraints in mind while shopping around.

4. Where will this planner go with you? Are you staying home more often or find yourself on the move? Your movements will determine the size and weight of the best planner for you. At home means you can have something a bit more bulky while on the go might need something you can throw into a bag.

5. Which planner style works best for you?  There are so many styles out there beyond just the colors and style. Are you interested in a vertical layout? Hourly layout? Horizontal layout? List? Daily? Do research to find which styles you’re most interested in before starting to choose a planner.

With these five questions and their answers in mind, you’ll be able to pick the best planner for 2021. 

How to Plan When There Isn’t Anything to Plan

How to Plan When There Isn’t Anything to Plan

As the pandemic keeps pushing on, it may seem like there’s legitimately nothing to put into your planner. When everything shut down and plans stopped, I seriously considered just chucking the whole thing into the bin and trying again in 2021. But here are a few ways I’ve found to make the most of my planner when there really isn’t anything to plan for.

1. Document what you got up to. Rather than planning for the future, document the present/past. Document what you ate for dinner, video games you played, or other activities after the fact. That way you’re still getting to enjoy your planner and it’ll be a nice memento to look back on when the pandemic has passed.

2. Go heavier on the decorative stickers. Nothing to plan? Throw some cute stickers down and have fun with it. There are some days where I literally only made banana bread and couldn’t tell you what else I got up to. Time to put the massive collection of stickers to good use.

3. Transition your planner into more goal-oriented. Use your monthly views for benchmarks and deadlines towards a bigger project or goal. Use the daily/weekly pages to write out smaller to do lists and objectives. What better time to go after a goal when your schedule isn’t as heavy as it usually is.

4. Turn it into a gratitude or daily quote planner. Use the space to write a few sentences about the day, what you’re grateful for, or funny things your kids said. 

We’ll be back to busy days and full schedules before we know it, so might as well make the most out of a somewhat empty planner to get creative.

How I Plan Out My Blog/YouTube Content

How I Plan Out My Blog/YouTube Content

With over a decade of creating content online, I’ve tried my fair share of content planning. I’ve used tangible planners, Google Calendars, and pages of lists. Yet my current content strategy has been by far my favorite and the one I’ve kept up with the most. I use Monday.com, but you could probably recreate this in excel or another project management software. It’s about $8 a month to use after a free trial, but I would pay so much more than that (and I do for my other businesses). I set up my content into three different Monday boards to keep things organized and clear.

One thing to note with Monday, all of your sections within one board will have the same fields. Since all of my content exists on one board, there are fields I won’t fill out until they’re moved to certain sections.

content ideas

Pro The first of the sections is Content Ideas. This is where I put any possible blog post or YouTube video ideas I may want to do. I think color code them based on topic or theme. That way if I want to add more variety to my content, I can just sort my posts by topic and choose from there. I also like to mark if it’s a YouTube Video, Blog Post, or both.

Then I have an area of content I’m working on or want to do next. These are all of the items that are coming up and I’ve assigned a publish date to. Monday.com has a ton of different integration options so I actually connected it to my Google Calendar. So when I set a publish date, it gets added onto my calendar so I can plan out when I’m going to film. I have a section marked “Good to Go?” to let me know if I have all the supplies in, materials I need, and notes taken. Then there’s a section for Content Created, if I’ve Published the post or Scheduled it, and if I have done Social for it. Once the post is scheduled or published it moves to the next section.

finished posts

The last section is where all my finished content lives. It’s where I make sure I post social and include links to any pieces of content. That way if I want to share something in particular, I don’t have to scrounge around on the internet trying to find a particular post. This also makes it easier to do “best of” posts or combine different content together for an ultimate guide to something.

finished posts

Now I still keep a log of the content I post in my planner, but it’s more for sentimental value than actually getting things done. I’ll add to my to do list to film certain videos or write certain posts, but the bulk of the organization and strategy exists on my Monday board. 

How do you track projects or content creation?