- Connect with other bloggers- I didn’t connect as much as I would have liked, but I did join a small blogging group of likeminded bloggers and I am loving it! It’s so neat to get to know these ladies a little more, and I love the encouragement and support we are able to give to one another.
- Make 4 more posts SEO friendly- Done and done!
- Insta Stories- HA! I don’t know what it is about me, but I just can’t seem to get into this. What would usually happen was I would do something, go somewhere or make something and then an hour later think “Man! I should have added that to my Insta story”. Whomp whomp. I’ll try again in November!
- Work on more sponsored posts- This was a tough month for me concerning sponsored posts. I applied for a ton, but wasn’t accepted for anything. I was feeling pretty upset about it until one of my friends helped me out. I was telling her about the struggles I was having, and she reminded me that there is so much more out there than getting that one “perfect” sponsored post I wanted. I have an amazing full time job that takes a lot out of me, I have a husband I love, and blogging is only my hobby. I can’t compare myself to other bloggers out there who do it full time, because we are on different sides of the spectrum. Which is why I decided to just let it go. I’ll still apply for sponsored posts when I think they’d be great for my blog, or when I have an awesome idea for a post, but other than that I’m not going to worry about it. I blog because I love it, not because of the money. The minute I get caught up in comparing myself to others is when I lose my passion, and I don’t want that to happen!
For me:
- Read one book- Another fail. I just can’t find the time to do this! October was a BUSY month.
- Complete the Tone it Up 31 Day Challenge- I did it! I wasn’t as consistent in my workouts as I would have liked, but I’m slowly getting back into the routine of waking up and running, and I love it. I’m also trying to be more concious of the things I snack on, because I’ve come to see that that’s my area of weakness.
- Work on my Etsy shop- I’ve added new printables (check them out here), and am working on taking some new pictures for my shop to help it look a little more cohesive and pleasing to the eye. Also, stay tuned for some awesome Christmas paintings.
- Journal- I didn’t journal as much as I would have liked, but I have been spending more time in the Word and in prayer. It’s been a very hard month for my family, and it’s awesome to see how the peace of God has been within us through it all.
November Goals
For the blog:
- Continue working on old posts
One of my goals this month is to retake pictures of some of my older recipes to make them more appealing. Because let’s just say my photography skills have improved a lot since I first started! - Insta Stories
Yep, I’m giving these another shot. Wish me luck! (And follow me on Instagram) - Pinterest
I have always loved Pinterest, and this month I want to focus on my Pinterest account. I want to revamp my cover photos, go through old pins and make sure they work, and add to my Tailwind schedule. (If you haven’t checked Tailwind out yet, you should! It’s amazing). - Responding to comments
I try to respond to every comment on my blog, but sometimes I end up waiting way too long, and end up with weeks worth of comments to respond to. I read every single one, and now I want to respond faster and start building relationships with my readers. My plan is to go through comments on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
For me:
- Work on my photography
I finished my online photography class, and decided to practice on some of my friends last weekend at a pumpkin patch. I was so happy with how the pictures turned out, and I can’t wait to get more experience! I’m taking family pictures for my pastor’s family, and have some other friends asking about sessions. Guys… It’s like my dreams are finally coming true! (Also, scroll down to the bottom to see some of the pictures I took). - Continue to be consistent with workouts
It’s so easy to just say “ehh I’ll do it later” and then never do it, which is why I want to be more intentional about working out. With a half marathon coming up, as well as the holidays, I know I need to be as active as I can! - Etsy Shop
As I mentioned above, I want to retake some of the pictures of my paintings, so my shop has a more cohesive look. I also want to work on some Christmas paintings, which I know you will love! - Read a book
Y’all… I’m determined to finally finish that book I’ve been reading for ages. It’s GOING to happen!
What are some of your goals for this month? Let me know in the comments. : )
*Scroll to the bottom for pumpkin patch pictures!*
Here are some of my favorite pictures from the pumpkin patch. I can’t wait to take more!
I love how you list your personal and professional goals! Getting sponsored posts is on my list too, and I hear ya on October being busy! Hopefully with the colder weather in November we can tackle more of our goals!
Thanks Sarah! I hope so, too. Looking forward to some cozy weekends spent blogging away.
Great goals. It sounds like your friend gave you some good advice. It’s hard not to compare yourself with bloggers who can do this full time and can also hire VA’s to help them. Best of luck in November!
So true! I needed to hear what she had to say. And thank you, Elizabeth!
Those are some great goals! I think it was a weird month for sponsored posts, at least that’s what I’m telling myself. After successfully getting 2 for the last few months, I got nothing and I too applied for a bunch. I didn’t do as much reach out because I was applying for so many and didn’t want to end up with a lot of sponsored content since I really try to space it out. With that said, i did get hired for some freelance writing so I’m hoping that ends up being a good medium for the slower sponsored months since I do try to use my blog as a second source of income (or to at least reimburse me for the money I put into it). lol
I’m glad you ended up finding something! Sometimes all we need to do is perseverance and things will come together. And girl, I’m totally with you… I enjoy the money I get from sponsored posts to support my blog (and the fact that I love shopping haha!).
Great goals! I tried to do an IG story this weekend & I wound up putting pretty much the exact same thing on my snap story so I let it go. The girl in the top picture looks so much like my friend Heather that I had to do a double take. Happy Monday!
That’s too funny!! And I feel like that happens to me all the time. And I’ve decided to just give up on Snapchat and focus on Instagram… I feel like I can reach so many more people on Insta than on Snapchat. haha.
Your goals are awesome! You will accomplish them this month. I am an insta stories on the weekend kind of girl (and very inconsistently-haha.).
I am proud of you for finishing the challenge. I didn’t, so I plan to start over in Nov. :)
You are such a rockstar, and I am honored to know you. You are doing a great job with your kiddos and keeping up with this inspiring, awesome blog. Proud of you! Hugs!
I’m glad I’m not the only one with the Insta stories… I’ve been trying to do better haha.
And girl, thanks for everything you do. I appreciate your advice, honesty and friendship so much!
Great goals! You accomplished a good bit in October. I’m proud of you! I don’t understand instastories either. Once in a blue moon, I’ll post something on there but usually I just ignore it. :P
Best of luck on your goals!
xoxo Lauren @ Glitter & Grandeur
Hahaha that’s what I normally end up doing, too! Thanks for your encouragement! I can’t wait to see what November holds.
These are great goals! Insta stories are a mystery to me too. I need to get better about making goals and writing them down, so I’ll start with this month. I need to get better at connecting with other bloggers as well. That’s so awesome that you found your small group, I need to be more active about finding mine.
*PS Your blog is beautiful!!
I LOVE writing goals at the beginning of the month. It gives me something to work towards to. And thank you SO much for your sweet words about your blog. It’s definitely been a labor of love.
Good luck with this month’s goals! Sometimes not getting sponsored posts can be difficult. I still have a FT job too so I try not to compare myself to others who have more time to dedicate to getting sponsored content.
I’m glad you agree and understand! It’s hard to not compare myself to others, but it’s so important to remember that my priority should not be my blog, but my FT job.
Good luck this month! I love that you are in a group with other bloggers. That’s so fun! SEO is my biggest weakness. I’m so confused by it but it’s my goal this month to understand it better
Yes! That small group is awesome. And I didn’t understand anything about SEO until I downloaded the Yoast SEO puglin on my site (I use WordPress). It tells me what I need to change/improve to make it more SEO friendly, which makes it WAY easier!
Love these goals! I have many of the same ones! So important to write down your goals every month, something you have definitely inspired me to do! Thanks!
You should! Writing down my goals gives me something to work towards, and I love it.
I can’t get my head around Instagram stories either! One of my goals is to learn more about SEO and update some older blog posts as well
Haha I’m glad you agree! I use WordPress for my blog, and the plugin “Yoast SEO” has been a game changer. It has helped me so much in making my posts more SEO friendly.