You would think it was someone else’s birthday… 
I turned 32 on September 27^th. 32 feels… old. I met my husband when I was 22, so even he was a little shocked. “Wait, you’re HOW old?” Exactly, Doug. Exactly. But 32 isn’t old, really. Not at all. And your early 30’s are a time of flux and change, or that’s what everyone keeps telling me… wasn’t that what my 20’s were? I guess 30’s have been a little wild. I’ve had a baby, G-d willing, I’ll have another baby. Any mom reading this knows that these transitions, from 0 to 1 baby and then 1 to 2 babies are life-altering in ways that are hard to understand until you’ve lived it, and even then, you’re kind of forced to forget so you no longer care that you can never leave the house again to get a manicure without securing childcare.

My company is growing and I’m dealing with that and how it affects my family life. That’s a biggie. On top of my business, I have to promote my business. It’s a double-edge sword, because I love meeting people and collaborating with creative minds, but my friend Candace‘s husband put it well: there’s an opportunity cost to everything you do. And when you spend a lot of time working, other things can suffer. If you’ve figured out the secret sauce to “balancing it all,” let me  know.

This past year has been one of the more challenging years in recent memory. It’s forced me to grow in a lot of ways. And things aren’t always perfect. But I’m pretty sure I’m right where I need to be, and any challenges I/we faced were given to us for a reason I may or may not fully understand yet. So for the year of 32, here are some of the goals I set forth into the Universe to be completed by 33. Wish me luck.

1. Greatly improve my time management. Sh*t’s about to get crazy. Come February 2016, I will have even less time to get things done, which quite frankly, scares me a lot. I’m a worrier, and can get fixated on little problems that aren’t even really problems. I also need exercise not to freak out, so that will have to fit in somewhere, and it already barely fits in as it is. So to combat this, I recently purchased a Day Designer and have been using it every. single. day. So far, it’s helped me manage tasks really well, and it’s the first time in a long while I’m checking everything important off my to-do list every day, so let’s hope it continues. I’m also getting organized at home. I’m finishing some of the unfinished rooms we just didn’t have time to organize and decorate when we moved into our home with a 3 week old. If you have any time management tips, I’d LOVE to hear them.

2. Go easy on myself when the new baby comes. This is a big one for me, because I was truly a hot mess last time. I had Post-Partum Depression, brought on by stress and an inability to breast feed, and I refuse to let that happen again. This time I hope I can listen to my body, rest when I need it, and accept more help when it’s offered, because last time I tried to do it all and failed pretty miserably at it. I’d like to enjoy the first few months with our new little one.

3. Improve my photography skills. What started out as a hobby to improve my website and social media feeds has grown into an all-out obsession. Sometimes I snap pics just to practice, and that’s starting to become a daily occurrence. I’m reading photography blogs, gathering tips, and have even signed up for a photography workshop to improve my product photography. I have zero interest in a second career as a photographer and will always leave the important stuff up to the pros, but it’s been a really fun, creative outlet I’d like to continue.

4. Take cuteheads to the next level. More on this at a later date, but I’m currently in the strategic planning phase of #4 and will share more when I can. In this same vein, I plan to completely revamp cuteheads HQ to make room for an employee and to create a creative, collaborative, functional space. I am currently working with Laura Manchee Designs to make that a reality.

I’m sure I’ll have 1000 more as I go, but this is a pretty good start. What are your goals for the current year?