Home > Recipes > Specialty > Holidays > Happy New Year! Reflecting on 2014 and Planning for 2015

Happy New Year! Reflecting on 2014 and Planning for 2015

One of my favorite parts about New Year’s is to reflect back on the past year, to see what I’ve accomplished, where I’ve gone, how I’ve grown, etc. This year, I decided to commemorate it with a photo-book containing my favorite photos from the year. I gave it to my husband for Christmas and we loved browsing through the pages. It brought back great memories and basically showcased the highlights from our year together. Sometimes you just don’t realize how much you did until you see it all in front of you! I’m sure you’ve seen the Facebook year in review posts… maybe the Instagram ones too! It’s a nice feeling to be able to see your year visually that way. It can also help when planning your next steps and keep you positive!


TOP 5 POSTS OF 2014

With that… I also took a look at my most popular posts from 2014 (albeit since my first day on Sep.1), and here it is! It’s so much fun to look at this for me and really gives me a sense of what my readers want to see. I’m so excited for 2015 🙂


2014 has been pretty transformative both personally and professionally for me and I really do feel looking back that I’ve learned and grown a lot since one year ago. I think the biggest reason for this is I made a conscious effort to physically act on what I wanted and to put fear aside and go for it, to try new things. And also, to learn not just guess on how to take care of myself health-wise. I did this through visiting a nutritionist and learned how to keep a proper food diary, what supplements to take, and how to figure out what works for me. Fad diets aside, none of that means anything if it doesn’t work for you and you need to have the tools to figure that out. 

My top goals for 2015:

  1. First and foremost, get my “house” in order. No, my apartment is not a mess… I mean get organized! Getting organized, in my experience, is always an ongoing thing. You can put a process into place and it may work for a while, but things change, and you have to too. I’d like to invest in a snazzy day planner to better keep track of my meal plans, workout schedule, blog posts, shopping lists, etc. I plan to step away from the laptop and the phone for 30 minutes each Sunday and really focus (no digital distractions) so I can begin each week with a mission and feel collected. And now that the holidays are behind us… It’s back to work! #CapricornSeason.
  2. Travel. I’m working on a trip with my girlfriends for this summer to Europe and am pretty stoked about it. I’m going to be visiting 3 places I’ve never been to before (Paris, London and Ibiza)! I also am planning a getaway for the hubby and me. In between all of that… I’d like to simply venture out more in New York. The best thing about living in NYC is there is always something to do, somewhere to go, something to see… I’m never bored. So there is always more to experience here at home too. Traveling seriously gets addicting… I love experiencing new places and meeting new people, seeing how other cultures live – so enriching.
  3. Keep it up. All that I’ve learned in 2014… persistence and maintenance is so key and then to build on it. It can sometimes be a challenge, but that’s life. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you*. Waking up early for the gym on a freezing winter day in the dark… leaving that warm bed… can you hear the violins? DO IT ANYWAY. Staying on top of healthy eating… SO WORTH IT. Adding to a skill set and challenging myself and in-turn learning more (formally or independently)… whatever helps with my career, this blog, GO FOR IT.

That thing I just said, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you”, my spin instructor yells this one line out pretty often during class. It may sound cheesy out of context, but saying that mantra when things are tough, when you’re stressed or unsure… can be pretty profound and can help you pick your head up and help you push you through with purpose. To remind you what challenge really is in the broad scheme of things. It’s shaping you and you’re growing. Here is to more growing in 2015 – WISHING YOU A HAPPY, HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUL NEW YEAR.

Some links to inspire you as we head into 2015:

Seven Things to Leave Behind in 2014 by A Little Opulent

Your Year in Review… by Into Mind

2015 Horoscope by The Astro Twins


quickie January forecast

Well, guys… here in NYC there is not so much being harvested in January so no Peak Produce list for a while. The following produce list (from now till March) is mostly from storage but is available and are good options. Frozen and dried ingredients are always available too!

  • Beans
  • Beets
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Onions
  • Parsnips
  • Potatoes
  • Winter Squash
  • Turnips
  • Apples
  • Pears

THIS MONTH’S FLOWER: Carnations

Carnations – throughout history has carried the meanings of love, fascination and distinction.

HOROSCOPE

Winter – Capricorn to Aquarius  {excitement, karma, diligence}

January 2015 Horoscope – Dark Star Astrology

<< MORE SEASONAL RECIPES USING INGREDIENTS ABOVE TO COME, AND A BIRTHDAY RECIPE FOR AQUARIUS >>

———————————————–

Hope you enjoy!
Would love to have your feedback below and remember to follow me on
Instagram, Bloglovin’, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook for the latest and greatest.

**Alison

———————————————–

-Alison Marras
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

browse more recipes:

Holidays
Start nourishing your body easily + consistently

I believe your healing journey with real food can be a stress-free lifestyle, filled with joy and flavor, giving you the time and energy to live more.

Subscribe to my newsletter, and you’ll receive the latest recipes and my best wellness tips to make this a lifestyle!

Join Now

join the conversation

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

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

no comments

you might also like