My Dream For 2015: Jaime from La vie Jaime

When Melissa asked me to participate in My Dream For 2015, I was on board but had no idea what my dream really was for this year! It took me a solid month to surmise something into words. I don’t usually do resolutions, as I don’t stick to them and don’t want the pressure on myself. I try to live each day to to fullest on a regular basis, so I felt that type of “dream” didn’t apply to me.

This year, I turn 30, as do most of my best friends that have been my friends for more than half of life. So my dream for 2015 is to embrace the change and next chapter of my life, turning the page into the third decade of living. That includes not putting pressure on myself of where I “should” be or think I want to be at age 30. I want to enjoy where I am now and celebrate it! For my 30th in May, my mom and I are planning a spa long weekend to Sedona. I am celebrating my college bestie’s 30th in New Orleans later this month. This year is all about fun and next chapters with big birthdays, my brother getting married, settling into a job and embracing its ups & downs and of course, enjoying whatever else the year brings!

–By Jaime from La vie Jaime

[Photo via holiday boutique]

My Dream For 2015: Kathleen from Carrie Bradshaw Lied

I’m so excited to be guest posting for Melissa today on So About What I Said! I’ve always loved the start of a new year and a chance to reflect not only on goals and aspirations ahead, but to also look back and appreciate the past year of successes and lessons. I will admit having a blog that documents the journey does make these easier!

A few things I plan to work on…

This year, I hope to become a morning person. This might sound light, but I have a really hard time waking up in the morning because I notoriously stay up too late. My husband is an early riser (because of his job), and on the rare mornings I can actually wake up early, I love being able to see him off to work. I would love to get on the same sleep schedule so we could really maximize the little time we do have together.

I also aim to simplify my wardrobe. More is not always better, and I want to be able to really adore every piece hanging in that beast of a closet. I’ve actually purchased a collapsible hanging rack to assist in the minimizing process, and I’m thinking a glass (or two) of wine might make this a little easier!

Lastly, I want to be more intentional with my free time. Sometimes I just crash on the sofa with the remote control and my laptop, which is nothing to feel guilty over, but it’s not necessarily aiding in my growth as an individual. It’s also not helping me achieve any of these goals any faster! Why not cook something new in the kitchen while listening to music? Take the dog on a walk? Pick up a new book and read on the patio? I want to think twice before engaging in mindless activities and be more intentional with my weekends and free time.

I could go on forever, but these are just a few of my aspirations for the year ahead. Thank you to Melissa for this opportunity to share! You can visit me over at Carrie Bradshaw Lied!!

My Dream For 2015: Krysten from Why Girls Are Weird

As you may remember, I shared my blogging goals for 2014 last year — pretty proud to say I accomplished nearly every one of them. Then in the spring, I invited some of my blog friends to share their must-haves for the season. Well, I got to thinking: Why not combine the two? So! With that in mind, My Dream For 2015 was born! I’m so excited to kick things off today with Krysten from Why Girls Are Weird, who shares her novel-writing goals for the year!

Hi, all, Krysten from Why Girls Are Weird here! For those that don’t know my blog and me, I have participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) since 2008 with the dream of writing something that I deem good enough to maybe be published.

This year’s dream? To get it done. Despite participating in NaNoWriMo, I’ve never had the follow-through of finishing a novel, editing it, having beta readers and really watching my baby grow into a full-fledged novel, one that can be published and read by the public.

It’s easier said than done, that’s for sure. That’s why I’m working hard to accomplish this dream — from staying organized with notebooks and schedules, to blogging about it so that I’m held accountable, to having a really great writing buddy who keeps me motivated and “gets it.”

I’ve had this dream for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I used to keep notebooks filled with stories. In school, I used to write little tales in the margins of spelling tests. This is something in my heart, this dream I’ve had for so long. And this year is the year that I want it to come to life.

Dreams are huge, and there is no time like the present to make your dream come true. So tell me, what’s your dream…??

–Thanks, Krysten! Look for more of my favorite bloggers sharing their goals all week long! And don’t forget to share YOUR goals in the comments, friends!! xoxo

Wanted: “My Dream For 2015”

Remember last spring when I invited some of my favorite blogging friends to share their spring must-haves? I really enjoyed the series, so I thought it would be fun to do another one! And with New Year’s Eve right around the corner, what better time to talk all about our hopes and dreams for 2015…?

The series? “My Dream For 2015.”

I want to hear from you, friends! What’s your dream for 2015? What are you most excited about? What are your goals?

It could be one goal or several, something you want to start or something you want to stop once and for all, but what I really want is to get us talking and sharing since I know the new year can be a bit daunting, at least to me.

Feel free to email me at mellow1422@aol.com with your story! I plan on starting the series the first or second week of January. Can’t wait to hear from you, friends! xoxo

[Photo via Colin Cowie Wedding]

Behind The Blog: Run Away Mägi May

I’m so happy to be bringing the Behind The Blog series back today, friends! As you know, I love taking a peek behind the curtain of blogs just as much as I love reading them! And Run Away Magi May is the perfect blog to help kick off round two of our series. When Magi wrote to me and described herself as “a wandering-traveler human who likes to plug into small-towns,” I knew I wanted to know more. I mean, her life sounds so cool, so adventurous and so…awesome! And it is! She’s currently teaching in Alaska and enjoying lots of time with her little nieces. I hope you enjoy reading her story. And as always, I’d love to feature you and your blog, so feel free to email me (mellow1422 [at] aol)…

Quick facts
Name: Mägi
Birthday: September 19th, 1990 (International Talk Like a Pirate Day)
Where are you from…Kirkland, Washington (home to Costco)
3 words to describe me…resplendent, inimitable, and zealous
Occupation: Wanderer. But, to fuel the wanders, I’ve been a direct service provider to children, the elderly, and to folks living with developmental disabilities. Currently I teach in different homes in rural Alaska. My specialties are German/Swiss-German, cello. math and English.
Blog: Run Away Magi May
When did you start your blog…I started Run Away Magi May in 2010, but I started blogging actively in 2004 when I was 13.

What inspired you to start a blog?
I wrote regularly when I did my first year abroad in Switzerland. It was then that my blogging became a staple in my life as a form of documenting it. I mainly wrote because everyone asked the same questions and I wanted to be able to give them a more solid answer without exhausting myself by writing the same thing to each human.

Then, I started a blog related to my different “disorders” (I live with ADHD/SPD/BED/trichotillomania/DCD…). I was in college and trying to sort things out, and wanted to write about how they were affecting me. I got a lot of positive response from moms and dads of kids living with the same disabilities, and they were interested in my story. I was like their kids, but a few years ahead. It was an honor to be a voice for our community and to give the parents encouragement and hope.

Now I travel frequently, always on the move, it seems, for the past five years, and blogging has become a way for me to keep track of my journey and share it with friends I don’t get to see often.

What do you love the most about blogging? Does anything about it stress you out?
I love that blogging has a lot of growth and experiences documented in an organized format that my friends and family have access to. They tell me they like keeping tabs on my adventures when I’m on the road. Nothing about it stresses me out. I only blog when I want to about what I want to write about.

If you had to describe your blog in one sentence, what would you say?
It’s the documentation of the life of a normal twenty-something…who just so happens to live in her truck and has been dealt a few developmental disability cards and a hardcore shot of wanderlust.



What has blogging taught you?
Lessons sometimes have to be learned more than once for them to sink it. It’s sometimes funny (or painful) to look back and go, “Ahhh! I’ve been through this! Why didn’t I learn?”

What advice do you have for new bloggers?
Know why you’re blogging. Your heart has to be behind it to keep going. If your goal is viewers, well, I guess you can run with that, but you’ll probably lose momentum quickly. In a decade, what will you be grateful for that you spent time to write out today?

Where do you see yourself and your blog in 5 years?
In five years? I rarely know where I’ll be month to month. I can’t ever seem to stay in one place. Your guess is as good as mine. My blog will probably look just as it’s looked the past few years — daily documentations of the changes in life and the beauty of temporary routines.

What has surprised you the most about blogging?
Besides how many people try to start a blog and stop after four posts? What a beautiful tool it can be in life. I find it to be a great coping mechanism when my thoughts start to get scattered.