2010 was a remarkable year for me personally, but also for this blog.
When I rang in the New Year 364 days ago, it was at Silly Tater Tot, which was a mix of pretty uninteresting food posts, fitness recaps and random observations.
Halfway through, I had a major aha moment (“http://katywidrick.com/2010/03/23/new-blog-new-rules/“) and got a new domain name, a new attitude and a new focus.
In 2011, I hope to continue my focus on healthy living, social media and helping YOU be better, more branded, more awesome bloggers! So, here are my…
10 Things for You to Do in the New Year
(Jump to: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1)
Blogging is somehow both personal AND public — not only because you’re sharing yourself with your readers (many of whom you’ll never meet in person), but because you’re hopefully connecting and engaging with people of different backgrounds, with varying beliefs and pursuing different goals than yourself.
I encourage you to take one step toward being a more active and vital part of the community. Whether it’s finding new blends on Twitter or Facebook, encouraging commenters (and being a good commenter yourself) or actually going to conference or meetups, it will be good for you and your blog.
When you read a blog, you get to know the person behind the computer. It can be hard to break up with that blog, even if it’s a relationship that has run its course. Now is the time to suck it up and move forward. I suggest you start with a hard look at your blog subscriptions.
Yeah, this one is more about healthy living than social media or blogging, but I hope that 2011 is the year that we start using diet in the way it’s meant — as a noun, not a verb. What we eat, not what we don’t. Get healthy. Get fit. Find happiness.
Don’t diet.
Is this the year that you’ll say “I can’t believe I did that!”? It’s OK to fail. Just give something new a try, grasshopper.
- Bring This, P90X
- Triathlon Training: Why Anyone Can Tri and Succeed
- Walt Disney World Half Marathon
- Exposed: My Journey to Self-Acceptance
They’re inevitable — and yes, they’re embarrassing. But as sappy as it is, there aren’t many mistakes I’ve made that I haven’t learned from. Grown from. Moved on from.
5. Celebrate Non-Scale Victories
2010 was the first year that I really started thinking myself in terms of health rather than size. I think crossing the finish line of my second half marathon — something I couldn’t have dreamed of completing at my skinniest — was the tipping point.
This one’s about blogging. If it’s taking you half a day to craft a post, you’re doing it wrong. Ideally, you’ll spend 20% of the time writing the dang thing and 80% making it better.
- Write Killer Posts in 15 Minutes Flat
- How I Size, Store and Upload Photos in 30 Seconds Flat
- Go From Newbie to Social Media Superstar in 14 Days
3. Be Beautiful…Just the Way You Are
Own your beauty — whether it’s traditional or not. I love my toes. They’re slender with blond hair and strong nails. My freaky elbows make me unique. And I think I have sexy shoulders. And when I believe I’m beautiful, others believe it, too.
2. Figure Out What You’re “About”
Now is a great time to look over your main blog landing pages, especially your About page. Is it up to date? Does it have a nice picture of you? Contact information? A mission statement so readers know instantly what to expect from you?
Whatever your dreams are — go after them this year. If you can’t afford to leave your current job, city or circumstance, figure out how to pursue your passion in your free time. Have a clear vision, and even if the path changes, the destination won’t. Remind yourself that you are worth it, and that you deserve happiness.
And with all of that — many, many good wishes for the New Year.
What’s the resolution you’re most optimistic about keeping in 2011?
About Katy
Katy, I think I enjoyed this post more than any other you’ve written since I’ve been reading your blog. Excellent start to the new year!!
Bravo Katy for an excellent thought provoking post. Every idea is spot on , particularly “Put Mistakes in the Past” in my humble opinion. However, I am wary about goals and changes based on the “calendar (“it is January 1 time to change!”) as opposed to “I need to be a better person NOW….regardless of the month and the year”. I think back to when I was a spin instructor at the downtown Y and how at the beginning of January it felt like the entire city decided it was time to shape up….new members and faces that I had not seen before thinking they would become “fit” overnight. Of course, 90% wouldn’t make it to February incorporating a steady workout routine. Thus, I think it is important to set realistic goals to exceed expectations. Baby steps. The idea is to improve upon what you got….and it isn’t always overnight. Here are 2 predictions though! Oprah’s network will be a huge success and based on your #10- you and I will be better acquainted in 2011.
Wow! The tips on this post are great, and the linked posts are awesome. I guess I am a “lifecaster” with a focus on fitness. I know I struggle with posts that are “too long” and will try some of your tips. Thanks for some great ideas for the new year.
Love the tips on this post! And I have a lot of linked posts to catch up on.
Have a wonderful New Year Katy!
I swear girl, your blog is dangerous for me. Especially posts like this. I can spend hours on your blog as it is, let alone when you link them all up like this for me!
I think I am going to start with the first one you mentioned and tackle that hot mess I like to call my Google Reader lol!
Great tips for everyday : ) Hope you had a wonderful New Years!!
Thank you for such fantastic posts! I have been reading your posts as I want to become a better blogger and social networker in 2011. I was quite excited to see you are an SU grad, as I will get my MSLIS from there in May. Thanks again!
Amanda — GO ‘CUSE!
I’m so glad you liked my posts…
I love all your tips Katy!! And I am totally with you on all of them. I posted my inspiration/goal board on my blog today (http://wp.me/pSUCS-1rq) and my main focus is to bring about some better balance in my life by incorporating yoga in my fitness routine and developing my relationships/devoting more time to others. Here’s to an amazing 2011!
Wonderful post and right in line with suggestions I share also.
Looking forward to checking out more of your posts.
Happy new year!
Hi Katy! I found this post so helpful. I’m not very tech savvy and am still learning so much about all of the technical aspects of blogging. I just watched your video in the “How I Size, Store and Upload Photos in 30 Seconds Flat” post, and I have a quick question for you. After you resize your photos (which, by the way, thanks for the tip on using Automater!) to be smaller, then upload them to Fickr, do you then delete the smaller photos and just keep the original larger photos? Is there any need to keep both copies?
Thank you again – your blog has been incredibly helpful to me!
Hi Corey!
It totally depends on the photo…if it’s something that I might someday print, I keep the high-resolution version on a backup (I use Mozy) but delete it from my hard drive.
If it’s something like a picture of my shoes, or my dogs or food…I typically trash the big version.
I have a pretty large hard drive and lots of storage space, but I try and keep the photo clutter off just so things don’t start grinding.
I also keep an 8G flash drive handy in case I want easy access to some of the original photos.
Does that make sense? If not, please let me know!
Fantastic. I will keep referring back to this post when I need references. My resolution is to return to the state of mind I had my last semester of college. I was confident and truly happy. My goal is to get back in that frame of mind. It’s not going to be easy because my life is nothing like it was last year at this time, but I know I can do it.