2015! What a year! 2016. What an opportunity.

It always takes me time to sink in to a New Year before I am ready to look either forward or back. Before I am ready to sum up what the past year meant to me or taught me, and what I have my sights set on in this new 365 days.

I’ve never felt this practice set me back or behind. Last year my resolution was simply based in one word– LOVE. I felt as though I needed to love more and better.

I am still unpacking and evaluating my progress. This pursuit for understanding and acting in true LOVE will almost certainly take a lifetime, so I’m not going to prognosticate or pontificate on the subject now– give me 30 to 50 more years and we’ll talk!

I can say that I was so lightened, enlightened, uplifted, and LOVED by my little family this year. I felt as though I came to better understand what it meant to love my children and my husband, and I felt that my understanding allowed me to realize that for as much LOVE as we send into the world, we often receive a return on that love that fills us ten fold.

One of the other goals I hit hard in 2015 was Refined + Rugged. I didn’t begin my blog until February (in keeping with surveying my field of life and looking at what I wanted and needed). I am so pleased with this little space of the internet. I can’t believe how far it has come!

I remember the beginning when every step seemed agonizing due to my low level of Information Technology knowledge. I still have a LONG way to go in terms of making this site more interactive, user friendly, and adding in some of those fancy widgets I’ve always dreamed of using (like a little bottom bar of my shopping picks, etc.).

But I am not sitting idle. I am working out kinks here and there every day. I am producing better and better content, working on my photography skills (that might take a class!!!), and hopefully continuing to refine my writing and my voice here on this page I call my own.

Though the page is mine, it would be little more than a grainy closet log, boring travel diary, personal recipe reminder, and staid workout recorder without my husband. My husband takes nearly all of the style photos for Refined + Rugged, and he continually inspires and supports me in this endeavor.

This page also wouldn’t be anything without YOU! Thank you for the support, care, enthusiasm, interest, conversation, positive comments, and encouragement. It means the WORLD! I am so grateful for YOU my friends and readers for your engagement and involvement.

In this past week-and-a-half as the New Year has begun I have written down a couple of personal goals:

Yes to LOVE, Yes to Speaking Kindly

No to SHOPPING until March

Yes to Gratitude, and Yes to Letter Writing

No to Eating Out

Yes to continuing in Family Dinner, and Yes to Moderation in Treats

Yes to Working Out and Biking and Being Active Daily

Yes to tackling an understanding of Budgeting and Personal Finance

Yes to Writing and Creating and Blogging with purpose

There you have it. In as streamlined a way as I can state it for now. The great thing about resolutions and goals is that there is no reason you cannot morph and change them as you see fit, as you journey further in to your new year.

Do you all make goals and resolutions each year? If so, why? If not, why not? If so, how have you seen progress, success, or improvement in yourself in the areas you’ve resolved to improve?

I hope you go roaring into Monday like you mean it! Whether you have personal goals to tackle or not, I hop you feel loved, enlightened, and uplifted! Let’s do this!!!

XX, Megan