{Grow} An Inspirational Blogging Series Part 3 ~ Blogging Goals

I have been gabbing all week about all the big changes I plan to make in 2012.

Check out the first posts in the {Grow} series here.

Today I am going to share my plans for Growing my Blog in 2012.

~ Blogging Goals ~

1. I would love for my blog to continue to flourish in 2012.

My goal is to reach 500 followers by the end of the year.

Okay ~ So I'm trying to be realistic.

But on the chance that we get to start working on our new home,

I really hope that number may be a little higher:)

Why not set your goals HIGH!

So, I have another number in mind, but I don't want to come across to greedy.

2. I want to continue to {Grow} my content.

More in depth posts.  Share a little more of who I am and where I hope to go.

(Hence, the {Grow} Series)

3. I would love to say I plan to blog everyday.

But, I am gonna go ahead and give myself a break on that one;)

Frankly, with my full-time job, family obligations, life, helping my brother out at Dwellings part-time.

Well...there are only so many hours in a day & for now I still like to sleep some.

So, I will do my best to give it the old college try when life allows.

I will vow to continue to try & post more often.

Reality is that when week's like last week happen just know to not count on it.

But please know that I have not forgotten. 

I have not lost interest. 

Life has just consumed my time.

And I will return!

4. Continue to try to focus on the quality of my projects.

I really want my projects to be a true reflection of my taste level.

Sometimes I feel like the finished project in my home currentlyis not a true reflection of me.

It is the vision I had for this home & also what the budget allowed in this home.

I want to push myself out of my comfort zone and really try to

pull off a more upscale look and feel that I hope to carry through my decor in the future.

Fresh.Casual.Elegant.Modern.Cottage.Living

While still remaining on a budget.

I truly believe you can pull of sophisticated casual elegant looks for less.

5. I would love to continue to grow my blogging friendships &

the sense of community here at The Corson Cottage.

6.  Get a fresh look for my blog in 2012.

Reality ~ It may have to wait until budget allows.

I want to make sure that the look is something I will want to keep

a little more long term.  While I love my imperial trellis header design.

I have never really liked the yellow. 

I want to make sure that the look I choose for the blog is a true representation of

the casual modern cottage look of our home and also of me.

I'm thinking something a little more on the neutral pallet.

7.  Start a weekly link party.

Not sure of the name yet or which day.

Working on this one!

Keep on the look out.

Hopefully it will be coming soon.

8. Improve the quality of my photos.

Work on staging my photos more.

After all, the photos I share here represent me.

Step it up! 

Work on having magazine quality images.

I have been known to be credited with a great eye for photography.

Prove it!

Learn more about photography.

Maybe even take a class.

(I have done this, but it has been years...)

I really would love to get a better camera...but this is just a pipe dream for now.

9. Work on offering a service on my blog.

My own website???  Perhaps...

An Etsy shop???  Maybe...

E-Design???  Possibly....

We will just have to wait and see where my creativity leads me!

10. I know it's early and my blog is still small.

But, I would love if someday my blog would have an income.

I did not start blogging with the hopes that it would make a dime.

But, after reading so many success stories.

I figure heck, why not? 

Maybe one day that could be me?

I am not reaching for the moon & stars here.

It would just be really nice if someday this turned into a nice little added income

for the Corson household.

11.  Add sponsorships.

This is again, really a more long term goal.

But, why not be optimistic and keep your goals in site.

12. Attend a blogging conference.

I would love love love to meet some of those bloggers that inspire me daily!

Okay, so this may not be the year. 

This could be a little costly...

But, remember be optimistic and keep your goals in site:)

If you are interested in checking out the rest of the {Grow} Series go here.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Monday is just around the corner....

Carrie

Linking Up

Between Naps on The Porch
The Shabby Creek Cottage

{Grow} Inspirational Blogging Series Part 2 ~ Grow Within Myself

This week I have been focusing on our Blogging Series

{Grow}

I have been sharing my plans for Growing in 2012 with you all.

If you missed the first posts you can check them out here and here.

Today I thought I would give you a little insight as to how I plan to change within myself.

Afterall, I can not possibly get all the things accomplished this year,

If I do not take the time to take a long hard look at myself.

What do I want?

Who do I want to be?

Where do I want to go?

What is stopping me?

How will I fix it?

I mentioned before that I think there is this truly fantastic inspiring

creative girl inside of me who is just dying to get out! 

Truth be told....I think know she has always been there.

Sometimes she gets a little more close to the surface than others.

But...for some reason....she always seems to be stifled.

Put on the back burner.

I'm not sure if she is scared of not making it?

Afraid of failure?

Afterall she is the one who holds all the hopes and dreams close to her heart.

Sometimes she even feels there may just not be time for her.

With priorities and life and budgets....Ughhh those darn budgets (She really hates those!)

Will people take her seriously?

Is she to whimsical?

I can talk her back inside so deep it takes something pretty inspiring for

her to resurface.. to really want to show up to the party ~ ya know?

Heck she should be the life of the party!

(And the party planner of course;)

Well, I am vowing in 2012 this is her year!

No more excuses!

This girl is part of me!  This girl IS ME!

The REAL ME!

Do you hold yourself back from your creative dreams???

Do you talk yourself out of being the real you?

If you said yes, maybe, sometimes.

Well, STOP! 

Why would you possibly want to hold back the best part of you?

And another thing...

When it comes to finishing what I start...

It is time to finish all my Lofty, (Yes~sometimes whimisical) Goals, and Projects!

I can be totally gung ho...ALL IN to some project

or learning something new, or just an all out great idea.

Completely engrossed and motivated.

Then it happens.

I hit the roadblock. 

 It's never just a little pot hole, it always seems to turn into a brick wall.

I know I am my own biggest obstacle.

If I hit the roadblock.

I sit idling for a while.

I don't know how to do something, I don't know who to ask for help,

I become indecisive, I become inpatient, I second guess myself, then I have doubts, then it turns into full blown fear, before you know it....

Then I get bored and turn around and go in another direction completely.

WHY???

Why can't I ever push through the darn wall?

Do you do this?

Well, I am also vowing that I will not do this anymore.

In 2012 I will charge full speed ahead.

(Well, maybe proceed with caution.)

But, I will not stop, or take alternative routes.

I will stick to my plan!

I will accomplish the things I set out to!

Here are a few of my Goals for 2012.

These are just personal goals, not necessarily blogging goals.

(I will share those in the next part of the series.)

I have a lot on my plate for 2012.

But, I know I CAN DO IT.

Some of these things.....are totally the kinds of projects

that as soon as I get going and don't know how to finish...in the past I would stop.

NOT this year!

1. SELL OUR HOUSE!

Okay, so I do not have much control over this.

But, god willing IT WILL HAPPEN ~ & the sooner the better!

2. Work hard to make sure our new home fulfills all our hopes, dreams and aspirations.

And looks absolutely darn right fantastic.

Pull the finished product we are looking for.

Fresh.Casual.Modern.Cottage.Living.

3. I will make a website for my brother's store Dwellings.

He has been in business for 8 years and it is past due to be online.

He sells home decor and accessories.

Now, my brother is extremely talented, creative and business savvy.

But techinical he is not.

That is where I come in.

I can totally see his vision.

We can pretty much finish each other's interior design sentences.

So, I know the look he will want.

This will be a huge challenge for me.

But it could also be extremely rewarding.

This may require a class or two.

But, I will get it launched.

4. Push myself to fulfill my creative goals.

PERIOD!

DO NOT STOP!

I would love to hear some of your goals for 2012.

Carrie
Linking up to
Home Stories A to Z

{Grow} - Inspirational Blogging Series Part 1 - My Word For 2012

Welcome to Part 1 of our Inspirational Blogging Series.

If you missed our intro click here to find out more about what inspired this series.

Today I would like to share our

2012 Word of the Year

{GROW}

(perhaps you had already guessed it from our series title;)

Grow:

to increase by natural development, increase in size or substance

For me the word {Grow} encompasses so many meanings for my hopes & dreams for 2012.

Last year was a tough year for my husband & I.

I had to overcome a huge obstacle when faced with health issues with my back.

I had to undergoe a spinal surgery and many, many months of recovery.

Well...we were able to PERSERVERE in 2011.

After a struggle to get through the first half of the year, last year we really came so far.

I was shocked & so proud of what we were able to accomplish considering our obstacles.

All we hoped for last year was to get by, to make it through,

to survive, to do our best to PERSERVERE.

Well, for 2012 I have many more aspirations.

For that reason I chose the word {Grow}

I'm focusing on 3 areas that I hope to {Grow} in 2012.

~Family, Self, & Blog~

~ Family ~

I hope to be able to continue to {Grow} & nurture our young marriage of only 2 years.

Most of all.

My husband & I would love more than anything in the world for our family to {Grow} in 2012.

We do not currently have any children.

Faced with many uphill battles, we know that this too, will be yet another hill to climb.

We also know that it could be the biggest and best reward of all:)

~ Self ~

Do you ever have that problem that just when you feel like you're on right at the tip of

something...maybe something you've never done before, or something you don't know how to

do, or something that you think you could be great at, but you're just not sure how to start it,

how to complete it, how to finish it. 

Maybe it's something you have wanted to do for your whole life, but never have. 

Maybe you don't know who to go to for help. 

Or it's just to whimisical and not practical?

Perhaps it is just a task that seems to daunting...

A unfinished project that you don't know where to go next...

Have you even failed at it in the past...

What do you do in times like this???

Do you run for this hills?

Do you slowly back away & leave it for another day?

Do you turn your efforts elsewhere as a distraction?

Do you stifle your creativity?

or

Do you go for it?

Do you charge full speed ahead?

Do you nuture your creative side?

Do you figure it out?

Do you ask for help?

Well, this is my year to {Grow} the self.

I have so many challenging things on my plate this year.

So many things that I'm not even sure if I can get them all done.

I'm not sure if I know how to do them.

I'm not sure that I know the right place to go to for help.

Is that going to stop me?

NO

Not this time!!!

Because I am going to {Grow}

{Grow} my ambition.

{Grow} my follow through.

{Grow} my understanding.

{Grow} my knowledge.

{Grow} my creativity.

There is an extremely talented and creative girl inside me & I'm tired of

pushing her to the back burner.  I want her to {Grow} in 2012.

~ Blog ~

I would love for my blog to continue to {Grow} in 2012.

Because of our tough 2011 in the beginning of the year I didn't really focus my efforts on this at all.

It wasn't until Fall 2011 that I really started to focus more on developing my blog.

So, for this year I want to set my goals high!

Heck, I just want to set goals for my blog this year period.

I would love to continue to {Grow} new friendships through blogging.

I would love for my posts content to {Grow}.

I want my projects to {Grow}.

I want to {Grow} my consistancy.

I want to {Grow} the frequency of my posts.

I want my discipline, routine & planning to {Grow}.

I want the quality of my photos to {Grow}.

I want to open up more & share more & {Grow} as a blogger.

Maybe even {Grow} some extra income, any income from blogging.

As you can see I have a lot to {Grow} in 2012.

Wish me luck.

What is your word? 

What do you plan to do with 2012?

If you are interested in hearing more of our plans to {Grow} in 2012 visit here.

Carrie

I will be linking up

The Shabby Creek Cottage

{ Grow } a blogging inspiration series ~ intro



Hey there! 

Hope you all had a great weekend!

In my last post I shared with you all that I was at a bit a blogging roadblock.

You can read that here.

I'm sure you have all been there at one point or another.

So...after a week of bloggers block.

I found that with the busy blogging holiday season &

 all the great link parties I could hardly keep up. 

After all that was over....I was a bit lost.

I had lost my mojo.

No new projects to share.

Nothing witty to write.

Nothing....blank....blank....blank....

So...

I put on my big girl boots and decided to do something about it!

I decided to turn to the blogs that started it all for me, for some much needed inspiration.

I realized something while I was searching for my inspiration.

I had been so busy, that I hadn't taken the time to refuel my inspiration tank.

Yeah, I had been all over visiting all kinds of blogs & commenting.

But I hadn't really taken the time to soak it all in.

Do you do that?

Let me tell ya those girls did not disappoint.

No they certainly did not!

Here is how I got my inspiration!

I started off the last week following along with a few super talented ladies.

Let me tell ya...this is a great candid series with GREAT tips

from some really seasoned talented bloggers. 

Each blogger provided their input on each day of the series.

The Nester started off the series with Authenticity & Blogging

Thrifty Decor Chick blogged about How to Make Money Blogging.

Tatertots & Jello blogged about Building a Community & Social Media.

Miss Mustard Seed shared some fabulous tips about Photography & Styling.

Centsational Girl shared tips on The Juggling Act & Balancing Time.

Next I found this fantastic series at Funky Junk Interiors.

Donna is a trip. 

 She will just step all over your toes & kick your butt right outta that funk.

Lastly, I visited The Lettered Cottage.

Layla had a great suggestion to pick a Word of the Year for 2012.

Pick one word that has the ability to inspire you for 2012.

I had never done this before.

Have you done this?

If I had to think of one for our lives in 2011 it would definitely be PERSERVERE.

We had a tough year but we made it through in great style.

You can also share your word at her link party on January 16th.

Well I chose my word.

My word for 2012 is GROW.

I have been inspired!!!

I have refueled my blogging fire!

I can't wait to share it with all of you!

I thought it would be a great idea to start a short inspirational series

 to share my plan to{GROW} in 2012.

Now, I do mean {GROW} in a literal sense, as in grow my blog.

But I also have so many other aspects of life and blogging that I need to {GROW} in as well.

I hope that you all may find something useful and inspiring in this series too.

Who knows maybe we can {GROW} together:)

So, I hope you'll join us this week for the {GROW} series here at The Corson Cottage.

Stay tuned for the next part of the series to find out
more of what the word {GROW} really means for me.

Okay, so still not starting to get inspired? 

Scroll back up there and click on those links and soak up some inspirations.

If that isn't enough you can check out some inspiring words here.

Find something, find anything, that one place, that one blog, that one book,

one magazine that gets your juices going. 

Get your mojo back!

Want to read the entire {Grow} Blog Series go here.

Carrie