It’s that time of year again. The time of year where it seems like every person who has a blog or social media presence is posting about one of two things: 1) a review of the previous year, or 2) what their goals are for the coming year. While cliche, I do think that reflection and goal-setting are an important part of personal development. I also believe that there is something to be said about making those things public. If you’ve announced the ways you plan to grow and develop to the entire world, you’re that much more likely to do it, right? It’s worth a try.

Looking back at 2017, I can say that all-in-all it was a pretty good year. There were some unexpected health issues with my family toward the end of the year, but it was also full of adventures, love, and amazing memories. Here’s a quick look back at some of my favorite moments from 2017:

• Hiking in Feather Falls, CA
• Road trip to Nick’s Cove, Tomales Bay, CA
• Camping at Dillon Beach, Tomales Bay, CA
• Off-road camping at Gold Lake
• Backpacking with girlfriends to Loch Leven Lakes
• Purchasing a dehydrator and experimenting with making backpacking food
• Backpacking with my love and pups in Desolation Wilderness
• Spending an unforgettable week in Kauai
• Camping in Fort Bragg over Thanksgiving and making some awesome taters over the fire

There were a few other camping trips and adventures thrown in there, but those were the ones that I actually got around to writing about this past year… which is a good segue into my 2018 goals:

• Blog more. I know I said this last year, too, but it’s something I really wish I would have done and am going to make a point to do it more—at least once a week!
• No buying clothes for a full year. Yep. You heard that right. Why would I set such a ridiculous goal you ask? Three reasons: 1) Save money; 2) Clean out those closets by ditching what I haven’t worn in the past 12-months at the end of the year; and, 3) Get motivation to fit back into clothes that are a few sizes too small. If fitting back into some super cute tank tops isn’t motivation, I don’t know what is.
• Summit 18 peaks in 2018. I’m going for it! In 2015, I set a goal to summit 15 peaks. It was the first year that I had ever climbed to the summit of a peak, Mt. Tallac, and I was instantly hooked. You can read about my 2015 journey here. I’ll plan on revisiting some peaks that I climbed that year, as well as looking to stand on top of some new ones, including the highest in the contiguous United States, Mt. Whitney.
• Be more mindful. Everyday. Mindfulness is something that I was first introduced to in my MBA studies, and it even took me to Switzerland for a two week journey. The practice of mindfulness can help manage stress, improve personal and professional relationships, and increase focus. Since my MBA studies, I haven’t regularly practiced meditation or the principles, but still pull them out every once in a while when needed. In the coming year, I will make a conscious effort to practice mindfulness everyday. That wonderful brain of yours needs working out, too!
• Eat paleo 80% of the time. Let’s be honest, thinking I can eat paleo 100% of the time, all the time, is just setting myself up for failure. I’ve done this multiple times in my life and I’ve never had anything but a positive experience, except when I fall off that wagon on my face. This year, I am going to embrace eating paleo most of the time, and allowing myself to have that taco from time-to-time, too. I’ll be coming up with some new recipes that I’ll look forward to sharing with you here. Stay tuned!

The five goals listed above are here to provide a level-set and give me something to refer back to if I’m feeling lost. With my number one goal to blog more, I’ll look forward to sharing this next year with you and learning what some of your goals are, too. Comment below on what you are most looking forward to in 2018!