So you might be wondering why all of a sudden I became so interested in trying to monetize my blog. Well, here is a little back story: I work your typical 8-5 marketing job from the comfort of my home. It pays the bills. About a year ago, I became very determined to find a way to work for myself.

Many of you know that I work with a life coach (& absolutely love it). Well, one week, I did an activity where I created my own personal “mantra.” This was something I wanted to constantly keep front of mind as I went throughout my day. My mantra is my truth. It’s packed with encouragement and motivation for when I feel like throwing in the towel. It summarizes my desires and need to push forward.

I can devour a good, motivational, entrepreneur or self-help book in one to two sittings. This year, I read (more like listened) to tons of them, and in 2019, I plan to do the same! I’ve been saving Instagram posts of book recommendations the last few months to create my reading list for the coming year. And, since I drive a lot, I’m always looking for audiobooks. My goal for 2019 is one book per month. I far surpassed that this year, but I want to be conscious of taking a break from the screen & actually picking up a book.

So many people dream of working from home. No more cubicle, fluorescent lighting, or rush hour commutes. That dream is a reality for over 1 in 5 Americans according to Forbes. When making this transition, many people neglect to realize that working from home day in and day out can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Sounds depressing, I know, but that’s why we are chatting about it!

I use my backpack ALL of the time. I always travel with it, and I use it to carry my laptop and planner around to coffee shops and such. This week, I am on the hunt for a stylish business bag. Here are some of my favorites laptop bag finds in both backpack and shoulder bag styles! I included some casual options, business casual options, and a couple more professional briefcase styles.

As a business owner you wear A LOT of hats. That can be fun, and it also can be extremely challenging when you feel like you are constantly bouncing from one task to another. That’s where batch working and time blocking comes to the rescue. I discovered it a couple years ago, and find when I implement it, I am highly, highly productive. Who doesn’t feel amazing after a highly productive day of checking things off the list? 

This year, I decided to create a template of my own to reflect on 2018 and plan for 2019. When I first created the template, I wasn’t sure if I should separate business and personal reflections and goals, but after some thought I kept coming back to the fact that the two are truly intertwined.