2018 New Year’s Resolution
Happy New Year friends! I hope you had a lovely holiday and are ready for the new year! I have just returned from a lovely time in Hilton Head celebrating New Year’s with my family and looking forward to starting 2018 on the right foot. I made my New Year’s resolution and hope to stick to them this year. Have any of you made a New Year’s resolution to start the new year?
My New Year’s resolution for 2018 are both professional and personal. To have balance in my life, I need to balance my work with my personal life.
Hello I’m 50ish Goals
Maybe I should call them goals, because I want to reach them in 2018 or as least try to reach them. I was very pleased with the goals I accomplished in 2017 and there were so many wonderful surprises in my first year blogging on Hello I’m 50ish.
I always thought you needed over 5K or even 10K followers before a brand would contact you, but that isn’t the case for women bloggers over 50. We are not a heavily saturated market like the under 40 crowd and I think we are at advantage as female bloggers because many of us just started blogging in the past year. I never thought a brand would find me with under 6K (stats from FaceBook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and this blog combined) but I was pleasantly surprised in 2017.
Everything has been learning process for me this year and I am still learning. I realize to be successful as a blogger I need to nurture my blog and build my community. I haven’t done a very good job at posting at least twice a week but that is on my New Year’s resolution list. I honestly don’t know how bloggers post everyday! I am struggling to post 2 times a week! For example, I started this post on New Year’s Eve, hence my NYE outfit from Chico’s (last year’s purchase), and you will see it on the 3rd. Kudos to those of you who can publish everyday!!!
I hope to be more consistent on social media. Instagram has been a huge learning curve for me. Many people do not share how to build your brand on Instagram, so I’m googling a lot these days. I don’t want to pay for people to follow me, but I need to understand what makes a good Instagram post? Is it content, time of day, hashtags, posting daily, or posting when you have something to say? What am I doing wrong when I have over 4K followers and I hardly get over 150 likes on a photo? Where did my people go? Did I get lost in their feed? Do I need to post everyday at the same exact time? I must not be posting at the right time, posting something that isn’t using the right hashtags, or no one cares. I got over 200 likes on a photo in my swimsuit in 2017 and I’m not going to be wearing a swimsuit anytime soon. I have learned/(googled) in the past couple of weeks that I need to like, follow, and comment more on people who follow me and follow people I find interesting. I also didn’t know you need to stay on Instagram for at least 30 minutes after you post a photo to comment back to people who made comments on the photo. I used to post a photo and walk away from it, now I’m waiting 30 minutes for the few people who follow me consistently. Thank you loyal friends!
I will also work hard on my Pinterest and Facebook page in 2018.
I have a new iPhone and DSLR camera and hope to take better photos in 2018. I had planned to take photography classes in 2017, but I failed to get it done, so I am relying on better cameras to pick up the slack. Not planning on taking classes in 2018, just going to hire college photography students as interns to take photos of me when they can. I am trying to delegate responsibilities as a blogger, just as I do with my interior design business.
Speaking of which, I have added my interior design business, Rooms Revamped Interior Design to this blog because I plan to share more interior design ideas with you. I also want you to see that being 61 is irrelevant as an interior designer. The best interior designers ARE OVER 40! Expertise and talent comes with years of being a designer.
I will also be adding more YouTube videos to my blog as I gain a better understanding of how to shoot a quality video. Or again, let a college student do it for me. They can get college class credits and add it to their portfolios. It’s a win win situation.
Personal Goals
I am making changes to myself on the personal side ( no, not any plastic surgery, but it has crossed my mind with the new iPhone X in portrait mode. I prefer to be farther away from the camera, because I look better). I think I always end the year reflecting on what I did wrong and what I did right.
I need to still be a good partner in my marriage. To have a good marriage takes work and conversation. If my husband and I don’t talk about the changes that have occurred as we have gotten older, he probably wouldn’t be married to me. He was as baffled as I was when I went through menopause and we talked about it. We do a lot of talking and sometimes I get so busy with my business and my blog, he wants to discuss our relationship. He wants to feel love and support as much as I do, but sometimes my daily routine is focused on other matters. I do not want my marriage to suffer because I ignore the relationship when I am busy being the CEO of 2 businesses. Wearing 2 hats is just as much work as raising 4 children. They need to be watched and taken care of to be successful.
I need to increase my exercise routine and eat healthier foods in 2018. I love to eat pasta, rice, and potatoes but will cut them back, (not out of my life). As I’ve gotten older, I still eat like I did before but now I’m gaining weight. Smaller portions and better choices for 2018. I will share with you recipes that are delicious, but healthy. I will also share my Italian recipes that are delicious and not so healthy too, just remember to put unhealthy foods on a smaller plate!
I am taking better care of my skin and even though I have wrinkles, it feels so much better. Drinking more water has also helped.
What changes are you making for 2018?
I hope you’re living your best life now and that age is just a number to you too! I would love to hear from you!
Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, FaceBook, Houzz,LinkedIn, and Pinterest too!
Happy New Year friends!
I love your goals Robin and they all seem attainable to me. On a style note, you are a class act in this all-black look. Love the collar of your sweater and that awesome gold pearly necklace. Beautiful photos, too.
Happy New Year to you and come join my recent Thursday Moda with your wonderful stylish looks!
http://eleganceandmommyhood.blogspot.com/2018/01/thursday-moda-96-currently-january-2018.html
Happy New Year Ada!
Thank you for your sweet comments!
I hope you better myself as a blogger in 2018 than I did in 2017.
Did you make any goals for 2018?
Hugs,
Robin
I love your blog and all your goals are right on target. I have spun my wheels with IG and finally think I figured it out. Our generation is not big IGers. Most of the IG population are the younger people. So they have far more people to see their stuff and follow them. I spent way too much time this year trying to figure out the algorithm and missed out on reading a lot of good blog posts. I’m a blog lover all the way. I don’t enjoy social media at all. One of my goal this year is to keep blogging fun so that means less time on IG and more time on my blog and the blogs of those I enjoy.
Peace!
Cheryl
https://www.northwestmountainliving.com
Cheryl,
I wish someone would teach me the world of social media. I find posting everyday and following all my friends a lot of work! I can easily spend 1-2 hours on Instagram! That is why I am shutting down the designer side and combining the 2 accounts. I may change my Instagram to Robin LaMonte and not use my hello I’m 50ish name. What do you think?
Happy New year friend!
Robin
Robin, I can relate to all of this! What a wonderful post and you have inspired me to figure out some answers to these same questions. Social media completely baffles me on a daily basis! And once we find the magic resolutions to increasing following and engagement, we need to all share! I have to say though that I love the part about communicating with your husband through menopause. I am right at the beginning of it and it is a pure hell for me. Fortunately, my husband and I do talk about it and he is very understanding. But man oh man, what a journey this phase of life is proving to be! I look to amazing women like who have been through it and are willing to talk about it. It gives me hope that I too will thrive through it all! Thank you, beautiful lady, for what you do here!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
Shelbee,
How nice to have you here!
Yes, I try to write about more than clothes on my blog and menopause was a huge eye opener for me and for my husband.
Menopause is different for every woman but when you feel young but your body says, “Not so fast lady!” it can really throw you for a loop.
I am glad you stopped by today!
Happy New Year!
Robin
Happy New Year Robin!
I am going on my 4th year of blogging and feel I don’t know the Mystery that is Instagram! as i also have to research how to increase the following, when to post etc.. i set goals as well for the year as well. sounds like you have things well thought out! Best wishes in the New Year! I agree about the 50+ bloggers/brands..and i will be joining you when i turn 50 in july.
thanks for linking!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
Happy New Year Jess!
I find instagram so baffling that I realized I haven’t seen your feed in awhile!
When I get done here, I will go on Instagram and see your pretty face!
All my favorite people never show up on my Instagram feed and I think I need to make a list and check it off everyday!
I must not be looking at the right time of day!
So much work to stay engaged with people!!
Hugs,
Robin
Hi Robin,
Today’s post has hit on most of the challenges of my life.
We really do share a common sisterhood.
Thanks for sharing your insights and information on the blogging scene. I’m too am wading through and trying in navigate the learning curve. My biggest challenge is to not compare. To keep my own voice.
Your personal voice is what I find refreshing and interesting while following “Hello I’m 50ish”. Keep up the good work!
Rosemary
Rosemary,
I am just amazed at the work that goes into building your brand ,don’t you?
I want to inspire and speak to women over 50 about many issues we face, not just what outfit to wear.
I know many people follow us for our clothes, but I want to share my thoughts about being a 61 woman who feels young even though my skin is wrinkled and sagging.
My voice isn’t about looking youthful but about feeling youthful.
I think a lot of women want to look their best and not feel the pressure to have work done to their faces.
This year I’m bringing in my expertise as an interior designer to share the latest trends and the homes I design for a well lived life.
Hugs,
Robin
HAPPY NEW YEAR ROBIN! I have no resolutions because I always break them. I have no goals because I never reach them. The best I can do for 2018 is to just try! LOL. I’ll try to be the best version of me that I can–and I’ll try to be more kind. This way if I don’t do what I say I’ll do, at least I tried!!! XOXOXOXOXO!!!
Catherine,
If I could post as many times as you do in a week, I would be a better blogger.
Your trying is my 2018 goal sweetie!
I think you are the best version of you!
Happy New Year friend!
Robin
Happy New Year! I am enjoying your blog. I, for one, am not making any concrete resolutions, but I have goals in mind that I ‘hope’ to fulfill. Less pressure that way! LOL
Wishing much happiness in this New Year to You and Yours!
Regina,
Thank you for enjoying my blog. It’s been a work in progress.
Good luck with your goals for 2018!
Happy New Year!
Robin
These are the top of my list to Robin, and it is so hard to do everything and do it well.
Happy 2018
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Jodie,
But you are doing a wonderful job with your blog!
I really enjoy reading your posts!
I just need to work a little more every week to get my posts up and my social media right where I want it to be.
Happy New year friend!
Robin