We welcomed in the New Year with our first family beach day for the summer.
The water was still a little icy for swimming, but Kalyra had fun zimming around on her boogie board with Daddy, Savannah enjoyed a little sleep and I loved catching up with my France Lonely Planet and some European travel planning.
Hello 2012
I’m happy that 2012 has arrived, not just because I am currently sitting in a panadeine-forte haze as I slowly recover from my surgery of 2011. Let’s hope I can leave bad health behind and start afresh.
2011 was really a year of us laying a foundation for our travel blog. We worked bloody hard, and we are excited to see the results of that come to fruition this year. It will be a good one.
What are you excited about?
Here is just a little update on what we are focusing on this year and what some of our plans are…
Personal
- We both are looking to get fit and trim down. We know we are not looking and feeling as good as we could so it is to the cleansing diet tomorrow, healthy eating, more sleep and daily exercise.
- We are working on family travel being a big focus this year with the intention to visit Europe for the Olympic Games.
- Hang out with family and friends more, and to network and meet new friends.
Travel Blog
- A lot of travel to bring you new content, stories, tips, and photos. We want to bring you more helpful articles on the logistics of travel and highlighting travel destinations and more articles focused on inspiring you to travel through stories.
- Get better at photography and publish a daily photo.
- We are going to be more consistent with our travel podcasts (once per week) and invite special guests to join us.
- We are planning on securing travel discounts and deals for our newsletter subscribers.
- We are investigating and learning how to create good videos for you.
- Take travel writing courses so I can improve my writing for you.
- Grow our readership and fanpage community substantially and get better at what we do.
- A site redesign- New header and a cleaner, faster, less cluttered site with better navigation and new features. Please let us know anything you would like to see in the comments below.
What would you like to see us do here on the blog? Tell us in the comments below.
Business
- Currently discussing sponsorship options which will allow us to become full-time with our online activities.
- We are planning on creating our own products.
- Begin blog and social media consulting.
- Exploring some travel blog training options.
- Over at Mojito Mother, I will be creating products around making your mojo work for you.
Word of the Year
Whether it be our personal or business life 2012 is going to be the year of HUSTLE. We are going to continue making our dreams come true and we hope that you will do the same.
Some great goals for the new year. I look forward to tagging along as you accomplish them all!
As for my own goals, there are too many to list here, but in a nutshell I want to work even harder on my blog in 2012 than I did in 2011. It’s hard to imagine that’s possible, as I worked so hard this year, but I know there are many ways I can improve…
Happy New Year!
It is hard to imagine just how hard you can work on your blog. There is so much work that is involved, it can be quite exhausting.
Make sure you focus on doing the best you can with what you have from where you are.
Great post and great goals! I would love to be sitting on a beach like the one in your picture right now
We have waited some time to be sitting on the beach. Our first good day all summer- the weather this year in Oz has been really bad.
Should be a big year, and it looks like you are all set to go from here! Looking forward to seeing what you accomplish. I would have to say that my word for the year is going to be FOCUS… focus on what’s important and do those things consistently and well.
Happy new year!
Focus is so important. I am making a huge effort to cut out the crap. We waste so much time on stuff that is not going to move us forward. I see a difference already.
you’ll rock this year Brooke!
I’m going to work LESS hard on my blog. I only have four readers anyway, and three of them are me :0)
Now, in 2011 I didn’t work particularly hard on my blog, so working LESS hard – wow. That’s really going to be something! In fact I should probably stop making comments on awesome blogs like this one, for fear it attracts more readers. I’ve got a lot of not-blogging to do, so I should really get on with it…
And I’d like to say I’m going to exercise more and eat healthier too – but that would be a lie. Two lies in fact; instead I think I’ll dabble with fast-food consumption, add more mayo to my burgers, just let my body know who’s boss. And I am never going to a ‘step’ class again. Seriously – blokes aren’t designed for it. Who knew you have to use your arms as well? I looked like an epileptic windmill.
So. Cuba libre in one hand. TV remote in the other. Now lift one – phew! Now raise the other… Oh-oh. Cardio time! A trip to the bathroom is required…
I don’t have a ‘word’ for 2012 (though I’m quite fond of the word ‘trousers’).
I’ll go for a phrase instead… how about: ‘Less is… less.’ It’s the new ‘less is more’ – only honester.
Wow! Newsflash – that auto-spell-correct-as-you-type-with-wibbly-red-line-thingumy seems to think ‘honester’ is a word. Really? So in light of that, my new word for 2012 is ‘honester’.
Honester. Honester. Hm. It’s gone all weird already.
Honestly.
Tony
You are a funny man Tony!! I like the word honester- I’m sure my daughter would agree that is a word and i will too. There is nothing wrong with making up your own words- far more meaningful!
I think you and Craig should exercise together so we can have two epileptic windmills- I need cooling down from the heat!
Great to meet you Tony!
Loving your goals for this year guys and I’m really looking forward to seeing everything you’re doing this year. I’ve been really inspired from reading some of your posts in 2011 so will definitely be coming back this year…..a lot!
Thanks Beverley! We appreciate it. All the best for 2012!
Hi Caz! Great post. I recommend that you include Lakes Entrance in your travel destinations list. Looking forward to reading more blogs from you.
Hi! Hoping that you reach your goals in 2012. More power!
Hi! I love reading your blog. If you love to travel and take photos of beautiful scenery, one of the best places to go is in Metung. Hope to see you there!