I’m not that big on new resolutions for the new year, yet it seems to be a sort of habit here, on the blog, to look back on what I’ve accomplished blogging and reading-wise in the last year and to set new goals for the year to come and… I kind of enjoy that habit. I’ve come to realize that I like going back to my old blog post from a year ago and realize whether or not I actually accomplished everything I said I would.
So today, I’m going to do just that.
In case you’re curious, here is last year’s blog post with my 2018 resolutions!
? My blogging resolutions in 2018
“In 2018, I wanted to give more. To the community, in terms of giveaways, blog posts, showcasting the books I love and so on.”
❎ I would say that wasn’t quite the success I’d hope. Despite creating a Ko-Fi like I said I would, I didn’t manage to host a whole lot of giveaways. I did manage to create more blog posts and more lists posts showcasting the books and authors I loved, so… that was half a win, I’d say?
“In 2018, I will be joining the discussion challenge and aim for the highest goal.”
✅ I DID THIS! I have been loving discussion posts all year long, they are without a doubt my favorite blog posts to write and I am thrilled that I manage to write a whole bunch of them thorough the year.
“In 2018, I want to take better care of myself and just relax about blogging. (…) also need to stop the comparison game and tell myself that I am enough.”
❎ Ha.Ha.Ha.Ha. Next.
? My blogging resolutions for 2019
Okay, so here are a couple of things I really want to do in the next year…
- Starting guest posts maybe from community members (would you be interested?), special blog post series on themes that matter to me maybe. I just want to do more with that somehow?
Join the discussion challenge again. I love a good discussion and I’m not planning on stopping any time soon, so I’ll be part of the discussion challenge again this year! This challenge is hosted by the two amazing bloggers Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight & Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction. I’m also going to be aiming again for the highest goals of discussions here because why not.- Try different things: I would love to try different kind of blog posts, to showcast books and their authors more somehow. I don’t know, I’m brainstorming.
- I also want and hope to do more collaborative posts with my sister (currently a once-a-month co-blogger here)!
- Continue to blog hop and comment a lot and discover new blogs and spread the love all year long.
- RELAX! ABOUT! BLOGGING! I just need to do better with that and CHILL.
? My reading resolutions in 2018
“In 2018, I want to read 65 books and read more diverse and #ownvoices”
✅ As I’m drafting this, I have read 73! Books! Which means that if I finish my current read before the end of the year, I’ll have gotten through 74 books, which is my ALL TIMES RECORD. Fingers crossed. But also, pretty proud of myself on that one. I also read a whole lot of diverse and #ownvoices books and I’m honestly so proud and happy about that.
“In 2018, I don’t want to be too influenced by the hype.”
❎ Yeah, let’s just pretend I didn’t write this down okay.
“In 2018, I want to read backlist books.”
✅ I had joined the #BeatTheBacklist Challenge in 2017, one of the very unique challenge I actually joined, in order to read more backlist titles. My goal was to read 20 books, which wasn’t a whole lot and I am thrilled to say that I SUCCEEDED in that one, so yay!
My reading resolutions for 2019
- Read 70 books. Let’s be crazy and aim high?
- Continue reading diverse and #ownvoices books and boost them.
- Be! Better! With! The! Hype! (a.k.a know to avoid it when you should)
- Continue being contemporary trash and make everyone a contemporary fluff ball like me.
- Try to finish reading some series I started in… well, 2017. Overall do better with series? (This Savage Song, The Young Elites, Legend, An Ember in the Ashes etc.)
- Read and get more books as ebooks (a.k.a resist the appeal of physical copies when I can get ebooks). Now. That might be kind of hard.
- Beat The Backlist : without officially joining, I want to read backlist titles and try to focus on them as much as I do on new releases.
? My writing resolutions in 2018
“In 2018, I want to open my damn Word doc and start editing.”
✅ I DID THIS. It’s honestly one of the things I’m the most proud of, even if, as of right now, I’m not done with this draft. I still got through maybe 2/3 of my story and that’s pretty good, even if I have no idea what I’m doing.
“In 2018, I want to start writing another story.”
❎ I haven’t done that, because I have been focused on editing my work and… not writing the rest of the year, so…
“In 2018, I want to talk more about writing and write regularly again.”
❎ Another failure here. Oops.
? My writing resolutions for 2019
- Finish editing my current WIP (and maybe send it to beta readers)
- Brainstorm and maybe write another story
- Bribe my sister into co-writing a WIP with, drumrolls, sisters as a dual POV. I HAVE IDEAS.
- Try to write on a regular basis again.
? Personal resolutions in 2018
“In 2018, I want to travel as much as I can, love and be thankful for all the people around me.”
That was a success, even if that end of the year has been pretty terrible for traveling and everything else, too. Still, I managed to go to Paris, Berlin and Edinburgh this year and I’m pretty happy about that!
? Personal resolutions for 2019
I’m not making any personal resolutions, because life is a rollercoaster and I just hope to take it as it goes and that everything will be nice. I obviously want to travel more and obviously just want to be happy and take better care of myself. Let’s take a second to laugh at that one, because I’m terrible at taking care of myself, but well… I guess I can try!
Are you the kind of person that likes making new resolutions, or not at all?
What are some of your reading, blogging or personal resolutions for the new year? Does anyone knows how to chill about blogging? I might need some adviceeeeeeeee because I suck at that okay. Oops.
I’d love to hear from you, so let me know everything in comments!
Your discussion posts are some of my favourites! I am excited to read more in 2019! I think I might be joining you for the discussion challenge this year. That is such a great idea!
Awww really, thank you so much, this means SO much! <3 I hope you'll join me, the discussion challenge is so much fun to do! 🙂
I really want to do a blog post looking back at the resolutions I made…but I’m really scared that I haven’t completed any of them even though i haven’t checked yet! I’m proud of you for reading 70 books and doing loads of AMAZIng discussion. Hype is something really hard to avoid so I get it! And you’re so amazing at blog hopping but please don’t stress TOO much about blogging if you can! Hope you have a wonderful 2019 xx
Ohh well you should try if you’re feeling it! It could be fun to look back at what you thought a year from now and how things might have changed, too 🙂 (but only if it doesn’t stress you out too much, resolutions like that can be stressful and anxiety-inducing at times and ugh).
Aww thank you so, so much, you’re way too sweet, thank you, this honestly means the world <3 <3 <3
I hope you'll have a wonderful end of 2018 and a great start to 2019 Ilsa! thank you for always being such a sweetheart, I don't deserve you <3 <3
I like making resolutions, even though I’m bad at keeping them. I did the Discussion Challenge, too! That’s the only challenge I actually succeeded at. Good luck with your 2019 goals!
YAY! Discussion posts are so much fun to write, I love them 🙂 Thank you so much! Best of luck for your 2019 goals as well if you have some 😀
Good luck with all of your goals for 2019! I need to finish so many series, ugh. I need to start binge reading series again instead of reading one of the books and reading something else afterward. I hope 2019 is amazing for you! 🙂
Thank you so much Ashley <3 Oh I'm glad I'm not the only one, I'm the worst at series, I just have so many I wish to finish reading and ughhhh haha 🙂
Thank you! I hope 2019 will be incredible for you, too! <3
Good luck with your goals!
Getting better at taking care of yourself is a great skill in the long run <3 It will get easier and easier once you are at it 🙂
If you figure out a way to avoid the hype, do tell 😀
Thank you so much Norrie, I guess so, I’ll try my best 🙂 <3
Haha and yes I'll let you know for sure 😛
Hi Marie! Yes, please continue reviewing and gushing about contemporary books because I don’t know where else I would look for recommendations if you didn’t! Your blog brought me from viewing contemporary books as shallow romances to books that can make my cry and laugh and change my life. (Who knew, right? ?) I hope 2019 will be a wonderful writing/editing year for year, filled with more travels with beautiful pictures and amazing books! ?
Awwwww, Zoie, this means the world to me, thank you so much! <3 I hope I can convince you to pick up more contemporaries in the upcoming months and years, there are just so many wonderful books out there <3
Thank you so, so, so much! <3 <3 <3
Congrats on achieving most of your goals!!! I loved your discussion posts this year and they actually motivated me to write my own. I’m also joining the Discussion Challenge 2019 and I’m SO PUMPED about it! I think guest blogs would be amazing — at least I know I’d love to participate! Also, yes — please keep being contemporary trash. I love fluff and I want to be a fluff ball who reads and blogs with you.
Great job on working on your WIP! I’m so happy to see bloggers I love write their own books and giving us awesome stories. I’m sure you can keep editing and polishing your WIP and send it to beta readers. If you’re looking for betas, I’d love to be one! And a dual POV with your sister would be amazing. I love the fact that she posts on here as well. Your story sounds great ? Have a great 2019!
Aww thank you so, so much, this means so much, you’re too sweet! <3 <3 I hope you'll have tons of fun participating in the discussion challenge next year, I loved doing it SO much 😀
I'll have to think about everything, but I'd love to host some people on my blog, too, I'm so happy you'd be interested <3
Thank you so much! That means a lot, I hope I can keep on writing someday and finish that draft haha 🙂
I hope you'll have a wonderful end of 2018 and a great start to 2019 as well 😀
These are some awesome resolutions! I’m definitely with you on continuing to be contemporary trash in 2019, because that will truly never end (it’s not our fault that it’s the best genre) and hopefully beating some of my backlist books. Great post!
YAY for being contemporary lovers! There are just too many incredible books out there, aren’t there <3
Thank you so much Jordyn! <3
You’ve honestly accomplished so much this year, Marie, and I’m so proud of you for everything ? I’m not sure how to help you become more chill about blogging, but I just want to say that you’re one of the best and most supportive bloggers ever, and you’re doing SO great. I always see you commenting around the community and being so sweet & kind to everyone, and we all appreciate it a lot. ☺️
(Also, I’d totally be interested in guest posting ?) And HAHA ikr, there’s no escaping the hype. Once you’re in the bookish community, you can never be free of the hype again. ??
Oh Dezzy you’re going to make me all emotional ah, thank you so much for your sweet words, this means a lot <3 I just feel like I'm never doing enough somehow haha, but I really need to try and chill about it all. Maybe someday I wil haha. Thank you, that means so much <3 <3
Haha yes, I guess there's no escaping, nothing we can do ??
Oh Marie you’re definitely doing enough!! You mean so much to me and this community ? And of course, I’ll always be here to support you and cheer you on! ?
You’re too sweet Dezzy, I think I need to hear that and tell myself that more often haha; ? thank you ??
It looks like you have a great set of goals for 2019. I love how you went back and explained how your goals for last year ended up working out.
Aww thank you, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! <3 I hope that you'll do great with your 2019 goals, if you have some 🙂
Just to spend more time reading books I want rather than books I have to.
That’s such a great goal to have. I really hope you’ll succeed <3
I love your post Marie! I’ll be participating on the Beat the Backlist Challenge. It’ll help me find more underrated books and hopefully more diverse books. Good luck on your reading challenge/goals for 2019! 🙂
Oh thank you so much Beatrice! <3 Best of luck for the Beat The Backlist Challenge, it is a lot of fun to get to older books and fall in love with them:)
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3
You’re welcome, Marie! <3
I’m pretty obsessed with making resolutions and on a day to day basis to do lists, though the success rate isn’t as high as I’d like. I really enjoyed reading this post and I’m glad I’m not the only one who failed spectacularly at some of my 2018 goals haha. I would definitely be interested in guest posting, all the best for 2019! 🙂
Aw thank you so much, Cas! I hope you’ll do great in your 2019 goals and challenges! 🙂
Great! you are so good with your new year resolutions. Generally I am not into much of it. You have inspired me to do 🙂
I am a pretty new blogger, will target for 50 posts and reading 25 books. Thanks for inspiring!!!
Aww I’m glad if I could inspire you!! Best of luck for your goals! 🙂
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! 🙂
Aw I loved reading your resolutions! When I look back at my 2018 ones…yep wow I’m going to have lots of fails there too. ?Mostly I actually FORGOT about them completely but ah well. One of my big ones for next year is definitely going to be stop pressuring myself to read and keep up devouring enormous quantities of books if I’m feeling stressed! It’s ok to read less and enjoy it more. *awkward flail* And I so hope you have lots of success with your writing goals for next year too. Plotting new books is such an adventure. ?
Oh I get that, I forgot everything about my 2018 resolutions until I drafted this blog post, so you’re not alone ?
I agree with you about that, I tend to feel like I need to read a lot and a lot, but what matters most is to enjoy what we read, quality over quantity! You can do this <3
Thank you so, so much! <3 <3
I think that you did a wonderful job in 2018 and I look forward to reading more of your lovely posts in the new year. I had to laugh about not getting influenced by the hype because that is just so hard!! Good luck with your 2019 goals. 🙂
Oh thank you so, so much! <3 It is way too hard not to get influenced by the hype, but… we can always try, I guess ?
Thank you so much! <3 <3
I love your blogging goals for this year! I always enjoy reading your discussion posts, so looking forward to more of those! I also like the idea of doing a series on a particular topic.
Oh thank you so much, Angela, I’m so happy you like them <3 I hope you'll keep on liking them in the new year haha 🙂
I'm still brainstorming about everything, but I hope to launch some new things, fingers crossed 🙂
i’m so proud of you for reading so many books this year ?? i dont know how you manage to blog so well and keep updated with everything ALONG with reading and writing and dealing with life, you’re such an icon omg
GOOD LUCK WITH ALL YOUR GOALS! continuing to be contemporary trash will be an eternal mood and i support that!! and marie, your discussion posts are literally the best thing ever, or pretty much all your posts
i can’t wait to see what 2019 will bring and i hope you’re able to accomplish everything on your very extensive list <3 <3
May you’re going to make me cry ahh you’re way too sweet what did I ever do to deserve such a gem of a friend like you ahh ?? you’re way too sweet ?
Thank you so, so, so much I hope not to disappoint, will do my best not to do so and to keep on throwing contemporary recommendations your way all the timeeeeee.
Thank you so much for your love and your sweet words and just, everything, this means the world <3 <3 <3
I suck at making resolutions! But I love reading this kind of resolutions posts XD I’m just not good at remembering the goals I set, which is clearly something I need to get better at. But sometimes I feel like the more notes and lists I make, the more disorganized I feel, and what I want is to simplify my life (That sounds like my number 1 goal for 2019!)
Your accomplishments sound awesome! And I’m so excited about your writing! Both the project you’re editing and what you’re planning to write with your sister <3 My sister would be too lazy to try that with me.
OH without these kind of posts, I would never, ever remember what resolutions I set the previous year, either haha 🙂 I understand that though and simplifying everything is a great goal to have! I hope you’ll succeed 😀
Thank you so, so much Pam, you’re so sweet! I really hope to be able to do a little more writing-wise next year. Fingers crossed 🙂
All the best! I hope you fulfill all your goals in 2019!
Thank you so, so much! I hope you will, too, if you set yourself some goals, too 🙂
You did pretty well, if you ask me. Hype is a monster very few of us can resist, and it’s hard not to look at numbers when it comes to one’s blog. Yeah! for smashing your reading record. Way to go! Discussions are still difficult for me, but I love the engagement I get on those posts, so I will continue with the discussion challenge. I want to try and make time to visit more of the discussions on that Linky each month, though.
It really is way too hard not to care about numbers, but I hope to relax about it ahah 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear you love discussions as well, I hope you’ll get to write more of them and chat with more bloggers, too. It’s the best part of it all for me 🙂
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3
Aww, it looks like you had a great year despite some obstacles or struggles!
I’m proud of you for editing and being so productive with your writing! You and Nyx writing a book together with sisters as the main characters would be the absolute best thing ever! PLEASE WRITE IT! <3
Also, you've read so many amazing books, you're a goddess, I don't know how you're doing so much with blogging, reading, writing. You're a force of nature, love you! <3
I hope you'll achieve all of your goals in 2019 and that you'll be happy and healthy in the next year!
Thank you so much Marta, you’re too sweet <3 I haven't been that productive with my writing to be honest, I wish I did more, I'm hoping to do more next year, fingers crossed 🙂
You're way, way too sweet, I'm a mess haha <3 I hope you'll get to all of your goals next year, too, if you're planning on making some! <3 <3
I think I’m going to do a post like this for 2019 – just blogging and reading and writing goals. When it comes to my personal life, I just need to get back on track with eating healthy and being more active. Those are kind of the main things for me at the moment.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
YAY! I’ll be looking forward to your post and I hope you’ll reach all of your goals ? it’s nice to do something like that to motivate ourselves 🙂
Thank you, Lauren! 🙂
Hi! Loads of nice blogging goals– I am trying to so the same for next year– first time having a posting schedule so that should be fun ?
You read 73 books this year– that’s impressive. Well done ? I didn’t do the best for reading this year– I had a case of the dreaded slump. But I am optimistic for next year. Good luck with 70 books next year– you can do it!!
Yay to editing– I find editing so so hard. I am always like *oh new project let’s start that* so well done. Sends applause your way.
Nice to co-write a WIP with your sister. I am currently doing that with mine but it’s hard because she has a much busier life than me at the minute so there is no time. *request for time turner please* ?
Travelling is lovely– I would love to do more but money keeps getting in the way ??
Good luck for 2019!! ?
Ahh best of luck with the posting schedule! Personally this has been a life-saver so many times, I love it haha 🙂
Thank you so much!! ? I hope you’ll get to read incredible books next year – if I’m proud of the amount I manage to read, I’m even prouder that I found out books I loved and in the end, that’s quality that matters 😀
I’m so, so… I’m a bit of a mess when it comes to editing and have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m trying so I guess that’s something? ? thank you so much, you’re too sweet <3
Best of luck for all of your 2019 goals as well! Thank you so much for your sweet comment <3
Thank you– I think it will be very useful for me ?
You’re welcome– hopefully, I have many I am excited to read!! Yes quality definitely matters most– I love to find books that I know I will love forever!
Yes absolutely trying definitely counts. I don’t really know what to do when editing either but the more you do the better you get (at least that’s what I hope when I am doing It ?)
You’re welcome ?
Thank you very much ?❤
Haha yes, let’s hope with a lot of practice, we’ll manage to make something out of our words that’s readable ??
Haha yes I live in hope ?
Me too, me too ?
Seems like 2018 was an overall success even if you didn’t manage to completely fulfill every single one of your goals. And I’m definitely happy you’ll be joining the Discussion Challenge again in 2019. I really enjoy your discussions!!
Aww thank you so much! Writing discussions always make me so happy, I’m so glad you enjoy them 🙂
MARIE! I somehow managed to chill about blogging! But like. I don’t fully know HOW? But I am going to try because it will change your LIFE. Like- I was convinced that if I didn’t immediately return comments, or post at least 4 times a week, or whatever nonsense my brain came up with, no one would ever read my blog or visit or anything and it would die a sad death in the Internet Abyss. This… is not the case. At all. Here is what I have learned: The people who care about you and your blog will 100% still care. The people who were just there for visits back… well who needs ’em anyway, right? Right. I actually found that I get about the same interaction, it;s just concentrated in fewer posts! And people get that we have lives, and can’t comment back or respond every single time, you know? Basically you just need to look at a Bellamy Blake “Whatever the hell we want” GIF until you believe him.
I have also mostly given up goals. My 2019 goals are just “stay alive”, Haymitch Abernathy-style. Because goodness, every year that I am like “whew, so glad 20xx is over! 20xy is going to be SO much better”… it hasn’t. So now okay cool, it’s all just a dystopian nightmare, I’ll try to not be attacked by tracker jackers or something, and wow, look at what a good job I have done! I hope you have a WONDERFUL 2019 though, because you deserve it ♥♥
Shannon, THANK YOU. for your comment and for your wonderful advice, I really need to save that and read it every time I start doubting about myself and get scared of the Internet Abyss haha. Thank you honestly, for sharing this and for understanding and everything. Thank you! <3 <3
Haha I get that. I always try to not set goals that are too high or too over the top and, personally, I expect nothing, that way… I guess I can only be surprised 🙂
Thank you SO much, I really hope you'll have an incredible 2019 <3
I need to go back and look at my resolutions for this year… I didn’t achieve some (like stopping my snacking habits), but I felt like it was on of the best years of my life so far because I made great friends and loved university, and also got to do some volunteering and go on lots of adventures in the New Zealand outdoors. I’ve sadly done very little writing this year, which I’d like to change in 2019, because I was too busy being a wild socialising extravert. Anyway, congratulations on surviving your year! I hope 2019 brings you lots of surprising adventures <3
Oh snacking habits, you’re not alone there trust me haha. <3
I'm so, so happy you had such a good year overall, Shar, and so happy about all of your adventures and I can only hope that 2019 will give you even more <3
Thank you so much, Shar! <3
I make a few resolutions but they’re generally too vague and I just don’t do that much. My only successful resolution this year was to stop buying things I’m allergic too, which I managed to do (maybe I’ve become more sensible? we can only hope!). I did lots of writing this year but not much of it was creative. You’ve done so well though–and on a personal note, your encouraging and enthusiastic comments are sometimes the only things that keep me blogging so thanks SO MUCH. I can’t wait to read your reviews and discussions and wrap ups next year!
I’m still glad to hear that you managed to write a lot, even if it wasn’t too creative, it’s still writing and that’s good practice, too 🙂 Hopefully next year will bring on more creative writing 🙂
OH wow I don’t even know what to say ? I’m just really happy if I can spread some love your way, because you always write brilliant posts and have such interesting ideas and point of views to share, you’re incredible <3 <3
Thank you so, so much Shanti <3
Good luck with your goals Marie! I don’t make resolutions as I know all can go downhill sometimes or I don’t want to add pressure in my blogging’s life. I just want to have fun and hopefully share my passion and enthusiasm with other book lovers. I would love blog hopping even more but then I would have to “produce” less because let’s be realistic here, blog hopping is fun but takes time. Hard choices to make ….
Oh I 200% get that – I like setting myself some goals, but I also like not to aim too high, otherwise it feels like way too much pressure and I don’t like it either. We’re here to have fun after all 🙂
I get it, blog hopping takes A LOT of time, it’s hard to ind the right balance. We’re all doing our best 🙂
How did I not know that there’s a discussion challenge out there in the world? (Is it because I live under a rock? It’s because I live under a rock, isn’t it.)
I feel like you’ve done a good job of having a good approach to your resolutions for 2018, and you’ve gotten a lot done this year! Best of luck in 2019!
Ahh, I hope you’ll take part in that discussion challenge, is it A LOT of fun, I love it 🙂
Thank you so much! Best of luck for your 2019 resolutions as well 🙂
These are great goals! I hope you achieve all of them! I don’t make new year resolutions because I know I’m going to break them soon but I really hope to read more books in 2019.
Goodluck with your goals! 🙂
Oh thank you, Raven! Not making any resolutions is the safest bet for sure 🙂
Thank you so much! <3
Congrats on all you accomplished in 2018! Here’s to 2019! 🙂 When you finish your WIP this year, I’d love to beta read for you — you know where to find me. I wish I could give you a tip for chilling with blogging, but I also have yet to find any chill. Good luck with everything!! <3
Oh thank you, you’re too sweet Madeline, I’ll keep you in mind for sure when I feel ready to share my WIP with some beta readers 🙂
Thank you! <3 <3
Marie, I’d say that 2018 was a success as far as your resolutions go! You accomplished so many of them! That’s awesome!
You’ve also inspired me to look at discussion posts; obviously, I’m only easing in on book-blogging again, but I really love writing & reading discussions. I also think it’s a great away to keep up with the community, since social media is still a struggle for me, hahah. But that actually may be one of my resolutions for 2019: stay less time on my Twitter fanaccounts and dedicate myself to my book-blogging account. I don’t know why I find the bookish community on Twitter so overwhelming, but I guess I’ll only get used to it once I start using it more regularly.
i think my biggest goal for 2019 is to read & blog more consistently. The year of 2018 was basically not reading anything for two months – reading a book in one sitting – not reading anything for the next two months. I want to read every day, or at least every other day, and really make it a habit again. I don’t have a blogging schedule yet, but I’ll look to build one for the new year, because I do want to be more consistent about it as well.
I also want to write more. I have so many book ideas, but I never trust myself enough to write them. I feel like it’s about time I stop being so insecure about myself, and give it a shot. I have an idea in mind and I’ve been trying to outline it for a couple weeks now, as I feel like it would help me a lot once I decide to actually start writing. But I’d love to read more of your writing insights, Marie! These posts are so inspiring to read!
I hope we get to achieve all of our goals for 2019! Wishing you all the luck in your WIP! ??
Oh Lais thank you so, so, SO much for your sweet comment, you’re the best ?
I’m so happy if I could inspire with discussion posts, they are honestly some of the best posts to write and read and I love the conversations I can have with people, too 🙂
I get your nervousness about twitter overall – I’m on it and I like it, but it’s really overwhelming at times and I find myself needing breaks otherwise my mental health just goes downhill a lot. That’s personal obviously though 🙂
I hope you’ll manage to read and blog more in the new year, I’ll be looking forward to all of your reads and posts a whole lot! <3
AND YAY to writing. It is so hard to get into it and to trust yourself enough to do so, I always have a hard time with it too every single time. I hope you'll manage to try it out and will have fun 🙂
Thank you so, so much! <3 <3
Hope you have a Happy New Year, and best of luck to you with all your goals! 😀
Oh thank you so much! Best of luck to you too for your goals 🙂
Thank you! 😀
You did so well with your resolutions overall and you should be really proud of yourself! Best of luck with your 2019 goals
Oh you’re too sweet, thank you <3 <3 Best of luck for your goals, too! 🙂
Hooray on all the accomplishments in 2018! As for relaxing… Wow, the only relaxing i really got was injuring my wrist. THAT DOESN’T COUNT THOUGH RIGHT? I HAVE been batch writing though, and I think that may help with chilling for awhile (no one will notice) if you write a backlog ahead. ?♀️
Planning ahead helps me chill, but I can’t plan as far ahead as I wish to, I can plan one week ahead and no more. I need to have weeks and weeks of holidays ONLY dedicated to blogging in order to be able to plan very far ahead and that’s just not happening haha 🙂 I’m taking it as it goes though and hopefully I’ll relax a bit more about it overall 🙂
Thank you Sophia! 🙂
you smashed 2018 lovely and I am so proud of you. I can’t wait to see what 2019 has in store, no doubt more adventures both in your writing and personally as you jet off to another country!
It has been a pleasure to watch you grow more and more xx
You’re way too sweet, I hope so, fingers crossed I guess <3 I hope 2019 will treat you well, love! <3 <3
My main goal of 2018 was to stop reading so many library books and read my own books…hahaha that didn’t go well. 2019 WILL BE THE YEAR!
I also want to try to write regularly in 2019!
Good luck with your goals. <3
Aww well I hope 2019 will be the year to read all of these books waiting for you 😀
Thank you so much, best of luck for all of your goals, too! <3 <3
Haha! I loved reading through this post! “Yeah, let’s pretend I didn’t write this down okay.” I’m happy you were able to achieve some of your goals, and you can always try the others again in 2019. 😉
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? ?
Aww thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 fingers crossed I’ll do good next year 🙂
best of luck for your goals, if you have some! 🙂
I loved reading through all your goals & resolutions! ? I’m so bad at taking care of myself too, so I really feel you, I’m trying to get better at that next year as well & be a bit more relaxed in general … we’ll see how it goes ? I would love to see some guest posts on your blog and see more collabs with your sister, they are always fantastic! I wish I had a bookish sister ?
Omg GO YOU for finally editing!! ??? I have … not done that this year, so I applaud you, because editing is a bit scary tbh! How did it go for you? Any tips for me? ?
Oh thank you Caro <3 I hope we'll both be able to relax and take better care of ourselves in the next year, too. Fingers crossed and I'll be there to remind you of it, too <3
It is scary and I have no idea what I'm doing, I'm not done with my draft at the moment and probably won't for another month or so, I kind of…. am on a break or I don't know haha. It's a mess and honestly I just outlined the whole thing again and rewrote it all (while copying and pasting passages that still seemed good) for now…. I don't know if I have any tips, really, as I have no idea what I'm doing haha. I feel like oulining again helped me a bit though 🙂
I really hope we’ll both get better at self-care and hold each other accountable ❤ It’s so hard to do that for yourself!
Oh no, I hope you’ll figure things out as you maybe get a bit more distance and then have that moment when everything makes sense! ? I’ll have to dive into editing like that too, but outlining is a great idea, thank you! I love doing it in general, so it should help me as well 🙂
Fingers crossed we will, I hope so <3 <3
Thank you so much, Caro! I hope you'll be able to outline and that you'll manage to edit your story, too, I'll be looking forward to hearing more about it 🙂
These are all such fantastic goals for next year Marie! I love your one with trying to relax about blogging, that was one for me last year too and I’m happy to say I think I achieved it! I’m glad you got to meet your travel goals this year too! I think I won’t make any personal goals next year either aside from the obvious (health, happiness, self care etc.) because you’re right, life really is a rollercoaster. You’ve been nailing it in terms of content this year!
Oh thank you so much Jeann <3 I'm so happy to hear you were able to relax about it all, sometimes I feel like I never will haha, but I keep on hoping and doing my best 🙂
Aww thank you so, so much, that means so much <3 I hope you'll have a wonderful, healthy and amazing 2019, Jeann <3 <3
I love these comparisons of 2018 and what you accomplished while also setting some new goals for 2019. I hope you’ll manage everything you dream of 😀 and yay for more Nyx on the blog. I love your dynamic, so I’d definitely be here for all the sisterly love and banter. I am also VERY curious about a dual POV WIP. I read a lot of how writers collaborate and I think it could be really fun. *fingers crossed for the two of you*
Also, it’s okay to give into the hype 😉 And I get why you haven’t started Our Dark Duet yet. We’ve talked about it and I don’t blame you, but it’s still super interesting to read and get to that part you don’t want to read about.
Aww thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it <3 Fingers crossed she will accept to take part in more blogging posts and things @nyxcorner 😀
I'll let you know when I read Our Dark Duet for sure, I really want to make it a goal of mine to finish this series next year! 🙂
I’m so proud of all of what you did in 2018 Marie ! I really hope you’ll have a wonderful 2019 year and you’ll achieve all of your goals <3
Aww thank you so, so, SO much, you’re way too sweet, this means so much <3 I hope that 2019 will be filled with incredible things for you, too!! <3
Also Marie I think ALL OF WHAT YOU DID THIS YEAR WAS AMAZING and I really wanted to thank you for writing such wonderful posts that Always make me smile and give me a lot of motivation <3<3
?? you’re going to make me cry, I don’t deserve you ? thank you so much, this honestly makes my day and ahh, I’m so happy ? <3
Hey Marie!!!
I’m with you about resolutions! I don’t believe in resolutions per se, ie “starting Jan 1 I am going to the gym every day!!” However I love to reflect on the past year and think about what I’ve accomplished and set goals for the next year. I think it’s great to set goals because it helps us become better at what we do!
73 books in a year is an awesome achievement! And that’s so great that you beat your own goal that you’ve set for this year 🙂
I also think that it is great that you’ve started editing your WIP (with only a little bit left to go right?!) You definitely deserve a pat on the back for that 🙂 Even if you haven’t fulfilled your other writing goals, I think you should be proud of yourself! I can’t wait to read your novel when you finish 🙂
Self-care is one of my goals for this upcoming year too, haha. I tend to get a bit stressed about blogging and writing and life in general. In 2019 I’m hoping to do more yoga, which I find super relaxing, and also be kinder to myself 🙂
Wishing you a happy new year and all the best for 2019 <3 <3
Agree with you so much! I’m not a fan of changing everything up right away, but I like to sometimes look back and to try and improve some things, hopefully without too much pressure 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m trying my best, though I feel guilty for having done close to nothing yet this December haha. Fingers crossed I’ll get back at it in 2019 to finish this draft 🙂
These are such great goals! I also want to be kinder to myself, it’s really hard for me to do so but I’ll try my very best 🙂
thank you so, so much Sophie <3 I also wish you a wonderful end to 2018 and a great 2019 😀
Haha no worries! It’s a hectic month so it’s all right to not be able to write as much. It’s a slower month for me as well, writing-wise 🙂 Looking forward to hearing more progress updates about your WIP!
Haha yes I think us bloggers are hard on ourselves because we try to be great at everything (posting regularly, replying to comments, keeping on top of our TBR!) but it is important to be kind to ourselves 🙂
Yes exactly, let’s hope we’ll manage to be a little bit kinder on ourselves 🙂 <3
lovely post, marie! i personally think that you did incredibly well with all your resolutions and i love these kind of check-in posts, to be honest – in fact, i think i might write my resolutions post using this structure, if you don’t mind? your discussions this year have been so great. i really do love them, and can’t wait for your content in 2019! i would totally be down for a guest post, just let me know and i should be able to do it if you need people to do them, i suppose? have a wonderful new year, marie!
Oh thank you so much! You’re too sweet and yes, please feel free to borrow the structure of the post if you enjoyed it and link back here if you can! 🙂 I’m exctied to read your post 🙂
Thank you! I’m glad you’d be interested in the idea, I’m still brainstorming a little bit but I’ll let you know for sure 😀
Have an incredible new year, too!! <3
Yay for reading the most books in a year you ever have!! Congrats! I read 120 books in 2017, which was my max, but I will probably only end this year reading 109-ish. I am only setting my Goodreads goal to 100 again in 2019 because I would rather read a little less and be able to blog a little more.
Despite not hitting ALL of your 2018 goals, you still had a awesome year both in the blogging & reading realms. I cannot wait to see what you have in store for us in 2019 🙂
Thank you so, so much Amanda! 🙂 And wow, you’ve read SO much this year that’s incredible! I hope you’ll be able to read incredible books next year, too and to blog more, I always like your posts 🙂
Thank you so much, that means a lot <3
I’m not someone who usually makes resolutions, mostly because I never stuck to them in the past. 😀 I have decided to make resolutions for 2019. I just feel like I could benefit from making resolutions and next year is going to be a test for that. I plan on posting about them soon, well as soon as I figure everything out. 😀 Amazing post Marie! And congrats on achieving so many of your resolutions. <3
Oh yay! I hope you’ll figure out your resolutions soon and I can’t wait to read your post 🙂 best of luck with it all!! <3 <3
*cheers you on in the background bc you deserve all the love and encouragement*
Aww thank you thank you so much!! <3
Ah, I totally relate to the ‘chill about blogging’ one. I love blogging and sometimes it’s hard to balance it with the rest of my life and not spend too much time hunched over my computer, so yeah, I also have that goal. One thing I tried this month was scheduling a ton of posts in advance, which gave me a bit of a break for the holidays which was nice?
I’m glad to hear getting a bit of a break was nice! I need to do that more often. Thing is, I’m okay with planning, but there are always so many things to do, blogs to read and so on and… it never stops, I need to chill and take time for myself too haha. Fingers crossed we’ll do good with that resolution 🙂
Have a wonderful new year Annie!! <3 <3
Yeah that’s definitely true—I am way behind on my blog hopping (as evidenced by that fact that I just commented on this post that was published five days ago lol). You too, Marie!! ?
Oh don’t worry about it, we’re all a little late with the holidays and everything <3 I wish you a brilliant 2019!! <3
You too, Marie!! <3
You’ve read a lot of books this year! Like that’a amazing! I honestly don’t know how many I’ve read because of the fact that I started using goodreads really late this year, but for next year I’m prepared! Great post Marie 🙂 x
Aw thank you Melina, that means a lot! <3 <3 I can't wait to see you using goodreads more, it's always so fun to see the statistics at the end of the year 🙂
Thank you so much! I hope you'll have an amazing new year!! <3
Yay for achieving so many of your goals this year, Marie!❤️I’m so happy I have discovered your blog and have gotten to read so many of your blog posts this past year, it’s been so wonderful and I’m so excited to see what comes next. Best of luck with all your new goals! I hope your 2019 is phenomenal.?
Awww Olivia, thank you so, so much this honestly means the world to me <3 <3 I hope to chat with you more and more this year and here's to an amazing 2019 for you, too! <3 <3
Those are some fantastic goals and hopefully you’ll bw able to complete most of them. Good luck!
PS: I would love to do guest posts or collaboration with you this year ☺️
Thank you fingers crossed! 🙂
Thank you, that’s so good to know, I’ll keep you updated for sure if I start something ❤
I would say you did pretty well with your resolutions. I am so proud of you 🙂 One thing I missed this year is traveling more and like you, I really want to visit some amazing places. But now, I am not sure if that is possible any time soon 😛
Good luck with all the resolutions for 2019. I am sure you are gonna be awesome 🙂
Thank you so much!! ❤ Here’s to hoping for more travelling soon and life-changing things, too. I am certain you’ll be able to travel soon and it doesn’t have to be too complicated or too far away, you can find hidden gems anywhere 🙂
Thank you! ❤
This post was awesome! I hope that 2019 is wonderful for you and productive in writing. I’m definitely rooting for you and glad I stumbled across your blog towards the end of the year, and excited to continue reading your posts throughout this year!
Aww thank you Nicole, that means so much! <3 I'm so happy to have met you and hope to chat with you more and more this year 🙂
Likewise! Your blogs have quickly become one of my favorites and I’m so excited to continue reading your posts!
Awww, this makes me so, so, so very happy, thank you so much Nicole <3
Of course! Happy blogging and good luck with everything! See you in the comments section. <3
Thank you so much, you too!! <3
Aahh Marie, this post made me so happy!! I’m so proud of you for accomplishing everything you did — and especially with your reading goal! And I really need to stop comparing myself in blogging too, especially with the rough year I’ve had lmao. If you need to hear it — you’re an absolutely amazing blogger and I know so many people look up to you!! And aahh writing a WIP with your sister sounds like so much fun and I hope you get the chance to do it — along with finishing all your edits on your WIP! Best of luck with all your goals, you’re going to do amazing things in 2019!! <3
Aww thank you May, you’re honestly the sweetest, your words mean so much ?❤️ I know that comparison really is the worst thing to do and I hope to be better with that in the new year, hopefully we both will. Also, you’re an incredible blogger and deserve all the praise and love, always remember that ❤️
Thank you so, so, so much! Best of luck for your goals just as well, I hope that January is treating you well so far ❤️
Reading all those goals and what you reached and didn’t reach, I’d say you still did an amazing job, Marie! <3
You might not have ticked them all off, but at least you attempted most of those you didn't succeed at entirely? And that's worth so much!
As for being chill about blogging.. Honestly I wish I could help you there. I thought I had that one figured out for myself, but lately all I've been thinking is "AAH. MY BLOG WILL BE DEAD ONCE LITTLE WIGGLE IS BORN AND I CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN AND WHAT DO I DO". I know it makes no sense and I probably won't even think twice about it once the time's there but.. right now it's causing me stress I so do not need?
Now that I think of it, maybe it can help if we actually schedule our blogging time and, say, devote x amount of time to reading blog posts or devote that specific day to answering comments and stuff like that? I have NO CLUE and no time to figure it out either, haha. So if you ever figure it out, I'm all ears!
Aww thank you so much Kathy, you’re too sweet <3 I did my very best with it ahah 🙂
Oh I can imagine how you must feel, that's so stressful, I get it. Sometimes even when my usual schedule gets off track, I stress out a little bit too haha. I kind of already try to schedule my blogging time ? Blog hopping and comments on evenings a bit, writing blog posts on weekends – but if that gets off track all of a sudden, or if I need to plan ahead a little more, I'm NOT RELAXED at all. I'm just not a relaxed person overall either, so that doesn't help hahaha.
Just do you, try to schedule a bit, try to take it as it comes and… well, it's okay if your blog is a little on hiatus, too. It is stressful to think about it (I know, I stress out about hiatuses haha), but I know that people, the important ones at least, come back when you do, too <3
Ugh, right? I get annoyed the moment my schedule changes last minute – even though people think I’m chill as hell of things like that but secretly I’m not? I hate last minute changes.
Ha, I’ve never even taken a hiatus since starting my blog so to say I’m stressed about it is a no-brainer. Even more so because it’s not like I *need* the hiatus; I simply won’t have time to blog – probably – and go on an automatic hiatus. :’) I’ve been writing posts for February already though – I’m nuts – so maybe people won’t even notice.. [yeah right, brain..]
Ughhhh same here it frustrates me so much ? I wish I could learn how to be chill, we should learn together haha.
Wow well you are the QUEEN of scheduling, wow haha; I guess it will be a sort of automatic hiatus and you’ll be slower, but it’s okay too! and I’ll notice that you’ll be gone and I will miss chatting with you tons, I’ll have to find other ways to bother you than endless comments hahaha <3
is there a course for that? Like.. we totally need something along those lines! Pretty sure we aren’t the only ones either, haha.
Gaaah I’m NOT. I don’t even know how I’m doing it. Wish I did. :’)
Aaawh <3 I'm the worst at social media [seriously, it takes me ages to reply on those platforms for some reason? if I do at all?] but there's always email? I THINK I'm better at that? :')
I will FIND WAYS to bother you and chat with you, I WILL MISS YOU TOO MUCH otherwise <3
Hahaha, aaawh! <3 You're too sweet!
I love chatting with you and bothering you haha ❤ ❤
So great that you met your discussion post goal! And amazing that you reached a new record of books read in a year!! Really like your resolutions for this year too- good luck! <3
Oh thank you so, so, so much! <3 <3 <3