Happy 2016, dear readers! Welcome to a new year and a new look for Solo Lisa. The blog was long overdue for a design refresh and I couldn't be happier with how it's turned out. The updated, fully responsive template looks much better on tablet and mobile, while the topmost navigation menus and slider widget let you view highlighted posts and browse by popular categories. It's a breath of fresh air, and frankly after the 2015 I've had, I welcome any chance at positive vibes, good karma, and new beginnings.
Looking back at 2015
2015 was a challenging year, to say the least. The boy's burnout and postponing the wedding put a strain on our relationship; fall and winter were one long, hard slog through work and school; and my mom was hospitalized. This was a year in which I really had to learn how to be gentle with myself; I was often sad, tired, frustrated, or some combination of the three. I scaled back a lot on my commitments to give myself time and space to deal with all the personal stuff happening.
That being said, 2015 had its amazing moments too. The boy and I went on an incredible trip to Washington, DC and Virginia; I was a bridesmaid for one of my oldest friends this summer; I made a renewed commitment to my own health and fitness via the Bar Method; and I really enjoyed learning Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop this fall.
I'll always think of 2015 as a pivotal "reset" year in which I learned a lot and restructured my life for the better. I shifted the blog's content from regular outfit posts to more beauty and was a lot happier for it. I streamlined my life using the KonMari method and got rid of half my closet as well as books and old rubbish. I said no instead of yes more often. These changes don't sound like much, but they added up to a lot more breathing room in my life.
Looking foward to 2016
"A simpler life with more room for what I love." That's my overarching goal for 2016 and beyond. What this means is:
Keep giving myself breathing room. As I've said before, my #1 luxury is unstructured time to do whatever I feel like—no work, no to-do lists, no chores, no errands, no obligations. I'm all about a simpler life these days. This may mean stepping away from the blog or saying no sometimes, but it's worth it for my overall sense of well-being.
Exercise more. Salsa dancing once a week, Bar Method 2-3 times a week. I just feel so much better with a bit of physical activity in my everyday routine.
Plan the wedding. It's happening in 2016! But we're going to try our best to not let the planning stuff get out of control and stress us out.
What's coming to the blog this month
January always carries with it a sense of energy and renewal, and with that spirit in mind I've got a lot of great content lined up for this month: drugstore beauty products for those trying to save money after the holiday season; exciting new launches; and a few posts to make 2016 the best year ever. It all starts tomorrow!
First of all, I just want to give you a HUGE hug through the internets for what you're going through and also for being so open about your struggles :)
ReplyDeleteIt's unfortunate that it takes something big happening like what you've experienced to make the changes that we know are good for us, but we push aside because of all the obligations and "shoulds". I knew for a long time that my life wasn't in good balance, but it wasn't until I developed such bad anxiety that I actually started to take that little voice in my head seriously, and it meant making major changes in my life that were scary for me-changing jobs, making an exercise regime, relying on my partner for support where I always tried to tough it out on my own, saying no....it's been an ongoing learning process and not something you can just expect to be a 180. I used to think that and just became so discouraged when I felt like I wasn't making any progress.
My one piece of advice is when you're feeling frustrated at your progress, just look back and remind yourself how far you've come. It's something I forget often, especially when I'm going through more challenging days, but then I think back when I was struggling the most 2 years ago and realize just how far I've come-but it's so hard to see that when you're just living the day to day and the changes happen so gradually. I'm also reminding myself that not every day will be perfect, and that doesn't mean I've slid back to where I was before-it's an ongoing process :) It sounds like you've already made some great positive changes, and I hope that 2016 and 2017 and beyond continue to get better and better for you :)
(Also, 2016 is our year to get married too! If you ever need someone to bounce ideas off of, or just commiserate in general, you know where to find me!)
Thanks for taking the time to leave such a heartfelt comment, Megan! I know the last year hasn't been the easiest on either of us. And your piece of advice (which I imagine comes from a hard-won place) is infinitely wise. Wishing you the very best in 2016. (I've been stalking your wedding-related updates on Instagram haha.)
DeleteLove the new design! Wishing you all the best for 2016 - can't wait to follow along :)
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