2022, IS THAT YOU?

Hello, 2022!

I don’t know if I should welcome you with open arms, a can of mace, or a good ol’ fist bump! I’m pretty clueless as to what you have in store, but the meme game is strong with predictions on social media, and as of right now, everyone is using humor to deflect the obvious- fear, anxiety, paranoia. You know, the usual suspect of the last almost three years?!

So cut us some slack if we’re going into this year, just a little bit cautious. I’m still excited with what’s to come and yes, there’s also some trepidation, but instead of having some high expectations of what might be, I’m going to take a different approach on this one- I’m just going to ride it. That should be a breeze considering how easy going I am, right?! lol. Probably not.

What I mean is I\’m not going into 2022 making crazy plans or setting super unrealistic expectations, because we can make all the plans we want but sometimes they don\’t work out or quite simply, plans change, and that’s okay. With that said, I’m going to try to go into the new year with some flexibility and being a little more openminded.

I was reading one of many New Year’s articles the other day, and something stood out to me. It said that instead of setting resolutions, set intentions. I liked that. It got me thinking of some of the intentions I wanted to set for myself. Ive posted in the past on how I don’t like making resolutions; the word ‘resolution’ feels so definitive and you’re already starting the year with so much pressure. Considering what we’ve all been through the last couple of years, probably a good idea to be gentle and kind with ourselves. That’s not to say you should shrug off any opportunity to better yourself or grow in 2022.

Your intentions should reflect you; not what others want of you but what works best for you. Think about what you want in you life, where you are in your life, where you wish to be, and how you will get there in the most productive and happiest way possible. Expect bumps and hurdles, that’s part of any journey, and with a good intention plan, it’s a the perfect first step.

Setting intentions allows us to manifest what we want. One of the intentions that first pops up for me is to BE MORE PRESENT. I know sometimes I get caught up doing stuff that seems important at the moment, and I may not stop and give the people I care and love, undivided attention- that means focusing solely on them, without checking my phone, or trying to multi task, so I’m definitely going to put that one high on the list. SLOWING DOWN is another one on my list. Through therapy and time, I’ve come to learn (and still learning) that productivity or scratching things off a to do list doesn’t equal success; it doesn’t define my worth. I can slow down. I can choose to do nothing and still be wonderful. I can slow down and be mindful, take in things around me, the simple things I may take for granted because I’m always on auto-pilot or ‘go go go’ and enjoy them. Slow down, girl, and live a little.

There are many other intentions I want to focus on to help me grow and I won\’t list them all here, but this last one I do one to share is one that I often have a hard time with and I didn’t think of it, until I was reading and saw it listed. BE VULNERABLE. So often I’m in problem solving mode, get it done mode, pick up the pieces mode, keep going mode, that it’ll all built up until, poof, I break down. I’m continuously learning to be vulnerable, to be open, to ask for help or let others (ahem, aka husband) help me or take the load off sometimes. It’s a okay to be vulnerable. It shows strength. Not the opposite and I want my children to see that too.

Whatever your intentions, may you do it with wisdom, an open heart and an open mind. There’s no right or wrong. There’s just you.

Whoa! Those were a lot of deep thoughts!

I hope they shed some light. I’ll close the blog up with some fluff and mention my designer look for less I scored at Target! Definitely looking forward to seeing what budget-friendly collabs will come out of 2022! It’s all about fashion on a budget for me, and finding that high and low mix in my wardrobe that I can re-wear again and again, like this jacket and pant set.

Looking forward to sharing my OOTDs, blog musings, and real life insta stories with you all in the coming year! Thank you for coming along for the ride.

Here’s to a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2022!

In Style,

Kathy