Welcoming 2014 and creating those dreaded resolutions

2014 is going to be a big year, I can feel it.  We have approximately 11 days until we ring in the new year and to be honest, I can't wait.  2013 was by no means a bad year, but it was a weird one.  There was a lot of change and a lot of growth and I am certainly grateful for the lessons that life inevitably taught me this year.  With that said, I am more than ready for what 2014 is going to bring.  I think as each year undoubtedly comes we are provided with a unique opportunity to hit the refresh button, to set goals and to put life in perspective.  It's important to stop and ask yourself, what do you want from 2014?  I've always found making a New Year's resolution to be frivolous. We are so often setting ourselves up to fail with a resolution that may or may not be obtainable.  Rather than make one resolution, I typically set goals and create a list of things I'd like to do in 2014.  Since my Photoshop has decided not to work tonight, I will just go ahead and type them out :)

In 2014 I'd like too:

• Lose 50 pounds
• Get a job (terrifying that I have to write this down!!)
• 4.0 in the spring semester (I've never had a 4.0, I always end up with a damn B+ in something that brings me down to a 3.8)
• Plan at least one weekend trip.  I asked Santa for this amazing travel book for Christmas.  Hoping to get it and plan a fantastic trip for my girlfriends this semester.  
• Blog at least once a week
• Take a dance class

Feel free to join in on the fun with this adorable print I found on Pinterest.  This adorable little print comes from the blog Run Lucas Run and was created by Lindsay.  The site is adorable and I highly recommend you all check her out!

I've also filled this out and have, as always, sent it out to my girlfriends to do the same!

Comment below and let me know what you are planning to achieve in 2014! Or Tweet them to me at @ashnduvall :)

Happy planning my loves!

Becoming my biggest fan

I have always had really bad self-esteem, ever since I was a little girl.  I always wanted to be thinner, to look like the other girls, to fit in the clothes that they were wearing.  It never happened for me and it caused me to really lack self-esteem.  I didn't like a single part of me for a really long time and until recently I accepted that as my situation.

When I met Tim I was overwhelmed with how wonderful he was to me.  There's not a day that goes by that he doesn't tell me how beautiful I am.  I fight him on it all the time and let me tell you, he fights back.  He is determined to show me how beautiful I am.

It got me thinking..."I wan't to see what he sees."  Lately, I have been feeling like I need to find a way to become my own biggest fan.  I need to wake up in the morning with good thoughts about myself otherwise I am going to be my own worst enemy.  How am I ever going to get healthy if I wake up with negative thoughts every morning?!

A couple weeks ago I professed on the blog that I am going to lose weight again and then I didn't, I didn't even try!  I began to self-wallow and as always I ate because of that (I am an emotional eater if you couldn't tell).  When it came time to think about my summer goals and what I wanted to see from myself, I decided there was no better time to start getting healthy than right now.

I want to become my biggest fan.

Losing weight isn't so much about fitting into the clothes that other girls wear like it was when I was younger. Now, it's about feeling good about myself and having a healthy outlook on life.  Right now, it's my number one goal.

Since being home, I have been following my Weight Watchers plan and working out daily.  Sometimes I wake up and fight myself all day about working out, but I eventually do it and it makes me proud.  It's time to feel good about myself and I hope that I will inspire some of you to do the same.

How do you all stay healthy and build good self-esteem?

Life lately!

I feel like I've been hibernating this past week and I've got to be honest....I needed this.  Summer vacation has always been so easy to embrace in years past but this time it feels like I am waiting for more work to show up!  I think it's because junior year was so hard and overall exhausting, but I survived (and now I'm a senior! whhaaat?!) 

Since I have been home, I took some major needed time to spend with my best friend Maggie which was amazing, but mostly I have been cleaning out my room.  On my summer goals list I noted that I wanted to clean out my room and donate a lot.  Well that goal is completed!  Everything is in boxes ready to be donated and my room is so clean and organized I can't even handle it.  I have to give a huge shout out to my mom who I actually could not have done this without.  It was too overwhelming to do on my own.  I also built a bookcase all by myself...which, um, go me?!

On Tuesday, Tim and I were up with the sun and headed into the city to see the Chew again!  Tim that morning called and convinced me to bring my copy of Relish, Daphne Oz's new book, and boy I am glad that I did!  We got there really early and were the first couple in the door which landed us on the TASTING TABLE.  Holy crap I was so excited guys!  It ended up being so amazing because I got to meet and talk to all of the hosts and Daphne even signed my book!

We spent the rest of the day bumming around some of the stores and stopping at Bouchon Bakery for some coffee and macaroons.

love the new app from BeautifulMess!!! Everyone get it! So cute and fun.

Summer goals for 2013

Lately I've been talking a lot without really doing a lot.  It fees like my "to do list" in my head is about 10 pages long and I already feel defeated! To avoid further feelings of defeat, I have decided to refer to this daunting "to do list" as my goals for the summer because then we can all throw a party when I accomplish one :)

Anyways, I figured it was time to write it all down so that I can be held accountable for these so-called goals of mine!  Hereeee goes nothing!

1.  Lose 40 pounds by the start of my senior year of college.  Guys, the big year is coming up and I sorta just wanna look fabulous for it.  Most importantly, I wan't to feel good during it.  There's nothing worse than looking back on pictures and thinking "wow, I really don't like how I look here."  You'll never want to look at those pictures and that's a shame.

2.  Room re-do!  I gave my room at home a major overhaul the summer before I left for college and although it seems silly, there isn't much in that room that represents my current style.  A lot changes in 3ish year and I figured now is a great time for a mini-haul.  The plan thus far is to paint a chalkboard wall, build a bookshelf out of crates, give my desk area a total makeover including a new paint job and spruce things up as we go.  I want this to be done cheaply, because I am after all a broke college kid.

3.  Speaking of that room of mine...I need to clean bad.  Never in my life have I felt the need to just throw everything (well mostly everything) away and start over.  There's so much in my room that I don't need anymore and the clutter is becoming unbearable.  Ideally I'd like to donate basically everything and anything I can.  Stay tuned because I imagine this is going to be a hot mess.

4.  Enhance this blogging experience.  As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I have a lot of goals for this here blog.  I just haven't done them yet and Tim keeps lovingly reminding me of that.  I'd like to take this summer and really make this something.

5.  Find an internship for the fall that I will enjoy.  I want to really fall in love with my major again and that means I refuse to settle in the fall.  I want to find something that makes me happy even if it means being picky.

6.  I'd like to work on myself a bit.  I feel like everyone says this, but it's true.  I'd like to take some time to explore myself and figure out how to make myself a better woman.  Being in a relationship has shown me a lot of what I like and don't like about myself and I really want to improve the things that need improving!

7.  I would like to cut down my use of social media.  Lately I have been so aware of how the stupid iPhone (I love you iPhone, don't be mad) interjects into our daily lives.  Sometimes I ban them for the day when Tim and I are together because there is nothing I hate worse than sitting somewhere with him and both of us are constantly checking Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and trying to beat 1,000 levels of Candy Crush Saga.  Give it a rest!  The plan is once I leave school for summer (because how the hell am I going to get through finals without distractions?!) I am going to delete the apps from my iPhone and only check in when I am near a computer or my iPad (which is like never).

That's all I can think of for now, but I feel like this is going to be updated quite frequently!

What are you guys planning to accomplish this summer?!