Skip to content
  • HOME
  • THE DREAMER
    • CONTACT
  • DISCLOSURES
  • HOME
  • custom-logo
  • THE DREAMER
    • CONTACT
  • DISCLOSURES
Uncategorized

The 2014 Directive: January

January 1, 2014August 25, 2015 Crystal // Dreams, etc. Post a comment
The 2014 Directive: January

Happy 2014!! I hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s Eve. What did you do to celebrate?

I stayed in for the night. I wanted some quiet time after my busy week last week so I spent the night watching movies with my niece and nephew, eating homemade pizza, creating an inspiration board for the novel I’ll start this month and slathering my face with mud for a little pamper session. Little One attempted to investigate the mud mask over and over and over again. It was the most animated she was towards the end of the night when I was trying to get a last picture of 2013, but I wasn’t able to snap one as I worked to fend her off, so the pictures that I do have are all of her snoozing. It was a wonderful night!

I guess this is the point at which I should share my New Year Resolutions… except that I don’t really do those. I used to set resolutions, but for the last few years I have switched to ideas of things that I would like to accomplish. These ideas aren’t set in stone, though, as long as I’m productive. I have to admit that in 2013 I wasn’t as productive as I had intended to be. I was hit with a lot of writing insecurities that I worked through and spent the year exploring the ideas that I have for stories. But I think that in the end, what I went through in 2013 creatively was good. I have a strong sense of where I’d like to go with my writing and what I’d like to do. And now, after struggling with writing-related insecurities throughout most of the year, I have more confidence as a writer. I’ve been reading one of the novels that I have written and I’m actually enjoying it. I have never enjoyed reading my own work so that means a lot to me.

When I think of 2014 one word comes to mind: create. I expect this to be an incredibly productive year for me with writing and art and I’m looking forward to it!

Which brings me to how I’ll be making goals and plans for myself throughout the month. I’ll continue with Weekly Wishes, but I’ll be adding The 2014 Directive into the mix. The 2014 Directive is a monthly link-up hosted by doxie-loving Jessica at Kate and Trudy. Participants make monthly goals that can be measured and are attainable. She even has a Participant Planner to help set directives! I’m really excited to participate and have been so anxious to write this post since I first heard about it.

I don’t think that it’ll come as a surprise that I have actually set two directives for myself. I was trying to choose between them, but I want to start the year off strong with both of them, as I do think that helps set the direction for the rest of the year.

1. Workout 4x a week. I count Monday through Sunday as the week (instead of Sunday through Saturday) because that’s how it’s laid out in my planner and one workout will consist of 40 – 60 minutes of exercise. I will track what the workout is, the amount of time and the calorie burn (using a HRM watch) in my planner. I fell out of my workout schedule in December and would like to jump right back into it in January and make it a priority in my life again. Through my experience with the 30 Day Shred I know that it takes me about a month to make a habit, so I know that after a month of making workouts a priority it should be something that comes naturally to me again.

2. Write 30,000 words in January. Like I said, I expect 2014 to be a productive year creatively and I want to start the year off strong by writing 30,000 words of the novel that I’ll be working on this month. 30,000 words breaks down to 7,500 words a week and I’ll need to be sure that I’m hitting my weekly goal in order to make this manageable. I’ll be able to track my word count progress through the word count tracker on Scrivener, but I’ll also create a word count tracker to put on my bedroom door that I’ll fill in as I reach 5,000 word marks. This way, my progress will be one of the first things that I see every day and will keep it fresh in my mind. I should have that up by the end of the weekend.

Those are my January directives. If you’d like to participate you can link up with Jessica and see what everyone else is planning for the month.

I told Jessica on Instagram that I’d give the recipe of the smoothie in the picture above, so here it is.

1 c almond milk
Part of an English cucumber
1 banana
1 orange
Big handful spinach
Big handful arugula and spinach mix

And this will make about two big servings. I take one serving in a 16 ounce mason jar to work every day.

About Crystal

About Crystal

Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

Post navigation

Little One’s Adventures: The End of a Year
Favorite 2013 Reads

Share Your Thoughts! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

I took these in early January when the snow still I took these in early January when the snow still felt a bit magical, but right now I’m just ready to walk barefoot in grass.

When I was younger I used to imagine what it would be like if we got so much snow that it would be piled high above our doors. I wondered if we’d be able to create tunnels in the snow to move around in.

And this year might just be the year we find out. I’m kidding, of course, but at this point I feel like we’ve been buried in snow. We’re even on track to beat some snow records I think (the amount of snow and the number of consecutive days with snow on the ground.

So. What’s the weather like where you are?
February was here and gone in the blink of an eye February was here and gone in the blink of an eye but contained moments I’ll carry with me forever.
When it’s almost halfway through February and yo When it’s almost halfway through February and you still haven’t posted January’s recap. January was filled with lots of family time. 💙
Hello, friends! 👋🏼 Swipe through for a few g Hello, friends! 👋🏼 Swipe through for a few glimpses from January. As 2022 came to an end I had this feeling that I was preparing to hibernate and I guess, in a way, I have. I’ve been slowly easing into the new year, focused on getting back into a few routines after Iceland and the holidays. And it’s been a great month. I can’t believe it’s almost over. What have your favorite moments of January been?
2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of 2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of so many dreams experiences. Whales. Cape Cod/Nantucket. Iceland. I saw musicals that have I’ve been dreaming of with Moulin Rouge, Wicked, and Six. 

It wasn’t without its stresses and rough moments but I’m grateful for the good that can be found, even when it’s hard.
Let’s journey back to November for the second we Let’s journey back to November for the second weekly dam walk of the month. My dad joined me for this one and we made it somewhat fast because it was a chilly day. “The water looks cold,” I said when we back to the car.

Between Iceland and the below zero, windy, and snowy weather we had last week (which came with requests from my parents not to go) it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been to the dam and I miss it!
Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Vienna and it still lives in my memory today as such a special time. I know December in Reykjavik will be the same—and not just because I came home with a little over $100 worth of ornaments of all 13 Yule Lads AND their mom AND the Christmas cat. (There was a little bit of miscommunication between my mom and me on that shopping trip. 😂)

It might have been cold (and when that wind hits you don’t want to be outside or by the harbour…I speak from windswept, breath-stolen experience and will forever be grateful for the library we eventually found respite in) and we only saw the sun a few hours each day, but seeing this already charming city decked out in Christmas lights with a skating rink and the prettiest tree secured it’s place in my heart.

Reykjavik, I hope to see you again one day. Soon. Probably not in December, but I’m glad I got to see you in December once.
Last year my niece and I visited New York at Chris Last year my niece and I visited New York at Christmastime and it was fun to see the city decked out in lights. I can also now say that I’ve seen the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and skating rink and the Saks Christmas lights, but I’ve also seen the crowds they draw.

It was completely different in Reykjavik this year. You actually had a chance to skate on the ice rink if you wanted (and I never did the conversation, but I think it’s cheaper) and you could actually walk up to the Christmas tree. Two very different Christmas in the city experiences.
Iceland, Day 2, Part 2. We ended the Golden Circle Iceland, Day 2, Part 2. We ended the Golden Circle tour with a stop at Thingvellir National Park. My fingers froze as I took these photos but it was worth it to capture this view. 😍 PS - the last photo is from a lake we stopped at on our way from Geysir to Thingvellir.
See More Follow on Instagram

RECENT POSTS

  • Saying Goodbye to Crystal the Writer
  • The Day the Sorcerers Visited Baby Jesus
  • Thoughts on Hope
  • Christmas Playlist // 2022
  • Life Under Construction

CATEGORIES

  • Adventures (52)
  • Beauty (16)
  • Books (147)
  • Creativity (57)
  • Entertainment (18)
  • Life (224)
  • Uncategorized (539)
  • Wellness (8)

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

Follow
  • Book Review Policy
  • BOOKS
  • Contact
  • DISCLOSURES
  • Insta Links
  • Seint Links
  • THE DREAMER
Copyright © 2023 | All Rights Reserved | © 2023. All text and photos belong to Crystal Brutlag, unless otherwise stated. Theme designed by Little Theme Shop: https://littlethemeshop.com

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Dreams, etc. // Minneapolis Lifestyle Blog
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.