How You Doin’, Resolutions?

So, today is February 1st. Today marks one month into the new year, my health insurance from work finally kicking in (!!!) and 2 months until I take a little trip.  In honor of this day, I decided to evaluate the first 31 days of the year to see how I’m living up to my professional resolutions I hope to achieve this year.

1. Budget: Ok, this one I’ve slacked on a bit.  But I haven’t been frivolously spending money I don’t have.  I have a few commitments that were financially straining, like being in a wedding, and aside from those purchases I was pretty good.  I generally don’t spend a lot of money going out with friends, or shopping, or anything else a 20-something girl might do.  Also, I do have money taken out of every pay check and put into two separate savings accounts just in case I need it.
2. Relearn Adobe Dreamweaver: Constantly think about it, but haven’t made any moves as of today. I hope to get out and buy a book about Dreamweaver CS4 this week.
3. 

   Image credit to my sister :)

   Consistently  update this blog: Since the new year, I’ve been updating my posts once a week.  As for upgrading the account, haven’t gotten there yet.  The wedding took up a lot of my spare time (in helping my friend get everything together), but now that it’s over, I will have more time to work on the blog…and relearn Dreamweaver…

4. Travel: I’ve been most successful in keeping this resolution.  In January, I traveled to New York City; West Point, NY; and Baltimore, MD.  And I will continue traveling as the year progresses!  Shortly after the new year started, I booked a trip to visit my sister in Paris leaving April 1. Additionally, a trip to Atlanta is in the works to visit my newly wed friend, who’s living in the area with her husband until the summertime.
5. Continue to freelance: Considering a freelance job I started in November isn’t finished yet, I’d say I’m keeping up with this one very well.  This specific project should be finished by March, though.  I also got another call about a small gig that I need to discuss this week

Writing this out tells me where I am as of February 1, what I’m doing well and where I can improve.  It’s great to see it and this post will serve as a constant reminder of what I want to achieve this year.

How are your resolutions coming along?  Where are you doing well?  What can you improve on as we start a new month?

Be A Better Professional in 2010

I don’t normally do New Year’s Resolutions, mainly because I set goals for myself that I know I will never achieve.  Truth be told, that’s not the best feeling when the year ends.

What are your 2010 resolutions?

I put a different spin on the whole resolution idea this year.  Aside from my vow to get so good at Beatles Rockband that I beat my brother AND a smug friend who thinks he can beat me in that game without playing it, I compiled my objectives and goals to grow as a professional and call them my “resolutions” for the new year.  Here are 5 ways I hope to grow and learn as a professional in 2010:

1. Make a monthly budget and stick to it: This is a priority for me, so much so that there is a taped piece of paper with my monthly expenses right next to my computer as I type this.  I feel that if I can’t handle and keep my own personal life organized, how am I going to do so in my professional life?  It’ll also help me save enough money to move out of my house (hopefully by the end of 2010) and save enough money to go graduate school and earn an MBA, both of which will improve my professional life immensely.
2. Relearn Adobe Dreamweaver: I took a web design class where I “learned” Adobe Dreamweaver in college.  Learned is in quotation marks because my professor didn’t use the program himself, so therefore, couldn’t teach it effectively.  Now I have Dreamweaver on my computer and plenty of resources in front of me to teach me the ropes.  There is no excuse for not learning it again.
3. Consistently update this blog: I fail at updating this thing on a regular basis.  Every day, I read a plethora of interesting articles with subjects ranging from politics, to fashion, to social media, and everything in between.  I hope to add posts on a consistent basis (basis guidelines have not been determined yet)- and even upgrade the account a little bit- with posts about these things I read and how they affect me (and others) as young, knowledgeable, GenY professionals.
4. Travel: This is both a personal and professional resolution.  I have so many wonderful friends around the country and I would love to explore new places and see them in their new homes.  Traveling allows you to grow as a person, and what I learn and see in new places certainly can help me in my professional life.  My sister will be studying abroad in Paris this spring, which will give me the chance to return to Europe and explore their world of advertising, marketing, and the like, and compare it to ours.  I started doing that in an International Marketing class I took at Loyola College in Maryland in 2008, which set the fire for my interest in International Marketing Communications.  As we begin this year, I already plan on visiting: West Point, NY; St. Louis, MO; Baltimore, MD; New York, NY; Paris, France; Atlanta, GA. And 2010 hasn’t even started yet!
5. Continue to freelance:  Perhaps this is the most important resolution of all.  I think everyone should do a little freelancing on the side (if possible).  Since I graduated from college in May 2009, I’ve had amazing opportunities to improve my graphic design portfolio.  I have continued snatching those opportunities after obtaining a full-time job.  I can’t imagine a better way to get my name out there as a designer, improve my craft, and bring in a little extra cash ;)

What are your goals for 2010?  How do you plan on achieving them?

Happy 2010 everyone!  Here’s to a year full of happiness, success, and gratitude.

(Image from Google Images)