Dreams & Goals for 2017

” Without vision, the people will perish;”

It’s a little proverb I read last year, but it hasn’t left me since it first caught my attention. The simple truth tucked within it’s word’s has allowed me to intentionally plan 2017.

2016 was an incredible year. I taught 6th grade American History, spoke at incredible events across the nation for the Gospel (literally NEVER thought that would ever happen!!! GOD IS SO GOOD), turned 25, saw Johnny Swim perform LIVE (I even touched Amanda– I’m JUST saying, our shoulders brushed!!!), wrote my first devotional & watched it get published (it was literally one devo– but I jumped up and down like it was a whole book full of ’em), got engaged, soul searched and learned so much more than I could ever express in one blog post.

But, I’ll try. Because I want to remember it, and the best lessons in life are meant to be shared.

In 2016 I believed that my life had to have purpose in order to be important. I believed that purpose for a person was based off of feelings. If they loved their job, or felt like they were doing something they were passionate about, then that’s how they were going to change the world and make their mark. I chased so many purposes trying to find my own, but they all came up empty…. That was when I learned that our purpose is to glorify something greater than ourselves, instead of focusing on ourselves. The most unhappy people in my life, are those who focus more on what they’re not doing in comparison to what everyone else is doing. Focusing on yourself, and the ways in which you believe you don’t fit in or measure up, will never change anything. Watching someone else’s vision won’t cut it. We each need our own.

I quickly learned that without a vision for how I wanted to live my life, the life that I wanted would never exist.

If I wanted a job that I enjoyed, maybe I should start bringing joy to the workplace.

Instead of getting angry with the fact that I never had time to read, what would happen if I made afternoon reading a priority?

If I wanted to get published in a magazine, why not reach out to my favorite publications instead of hoping they’d notice me?

Instead of letting my grumpy co-worker’s bad attitude change mine, why not work all the harder to let my good attitude influence hers?

**Our purpose isn’t found in the title of what we do, but instead, by the way in which we do things.**

In 2016 learned a lot about the way in which I do things. One thing stood out more than most: somewhere between 10 and 25 I started to believe that if something was meant to happen, it will happen on it’s own. I wouldn’t need to plan for it, or sweat to make it work– if it was meant to be, it would be. As wonderful as that sounds…. it’s not true. If there is a little friction in the process, that doesn’t mean I should throw in the towel. There are things in our lives that seem uncomfortable, and maybe they’re there because we are supposed to do something about them.

Sometimes the sweat & strife of life shows us what we’re truly passionate about, and what we really care for.

The best things are worth working through the hard things to get to.

Dreams don’t just come true once you wake up. Dreams need vision. Dreams need to be coaxed from the clouds and given life. It’s our job to teach our dreams how to exist.

In 2017 I want to do a better job of giving my dreams vision, and curating a life that I love. I honestly felt like 2016 was this crazy mess of discovery. In discovering, I want to apply the things I learned and better cultivate a life that I want to live!! What better way to hold yourself accountable, than to BLOG your dreams & goals for the world to see?! As scary and vulnerable as it might be, I’m hoping that blogging my dreams and goals will spark conversations about them and spur me to make them happen in the best way that I know how!!

Ah!! Here we GO! :

Photograph 20-25 weddings — no more, no less. I want to thoroughly invest in my brides and continually cultivate an experience that is different from the rest!!
Start an herb garden (and don’t overwater the rosemary….I learned that in 2016…)
GET PUBLISHED (online & in print)
Pray intentionally for my marriage
Perfect my bread recipe, & start giving loaves of it away <3
Create, finish, & print a bridal guide for each of my clients, so they better know what to expect during their experience !
Invest more in educational courses so I can continually learn and grow.
Blog most every aspect of my personal wedding planning process & experience
Continually tell people how much they mean to me
Encourage David to write music
Attend 1-3 conferences/events to encourage growth + community within my business
Plan the most incredible wedding, like, EVER.
Blog more recipes from Hillcrest Kitchen (including this macaron recipe, I really don’t know WHY I haven’t done that yet!!)
Carve out time to creatively write.
Pray more for my future kiddos <3
Give more experiences as gifts — not physical clutter
Love others how I want to be loved
Better delegate my weaknesses in my business & continually lead my team in grace, truth & passion.
Actively show David that I respect his leadership
Join a community group at Church
STICK to a set of office hours and shut off working before and after that time
Invest more in those younger than me, both relationally and spiritually.
Always remember our waiters/waitress’s name, and USE it.
Enjoy these last months of singleness and not wish them away
Intentionally invest more in recapping the beauty of my client’s stories through the words of my blog
Speak at 10+ engagements/events to encourage & inspire young women to passionately trust Jesus Christ in & through the Gospel
Go on a long walk once or more a week
Continually out give. Graciously receive with gratitude.
Start pre-marital counseling with David… (counseling is one of the most beautiful things!!!)
Host a small dinner party once a month
Plan more game nights with friends
Intentionally swap out Netflix nights, with reading & peppermint tea
Sing more with David
Find the perfect red lip, and wear it on my wedding day

I am SO excited for this new journey and for all that 2017 has in store! More than anything my prayer for you is that you are discovering your purpose in Christ by seeking after HIM above all else!! Cheers to New Years and all of the adventures they hold!!!

xoxo

AnnaFilly