CULTURE

 

Katie’s 2020 New Year’s Resolutions

I’m so excited to officially kick off the launch of THE FORM - a blog that will be a place to share a few of my favorite things, learn from some amazing experts and create content that hopefully provides you with a little something new, as well as a glimpse in to me as a designer and the brand Katie Farnan. 

So it felt only right, to start with a pretty relevant post as we ring in 2020. Today I’m sharing my 2020 resolutions in the hopes that writing them down here, for all of you, will help to keep me accountable and inspire you to follow through with yours. 

What resolutions are you keeping in the new year? Leave a comment below!

 

#1: TRAVEL TO NEW PLACES

As a designer, I truly find inspiration everywhere, but so often my travels will inspire my collections. Our Spring/Summer 2020 collection (launching soon) was heavily inspired by a trip that I took to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. Immersing myself in everything that comes with a new environment - the people, the culture, the food - is not only good for the soul but also opens my mind to new creative lines of thinking that heavily impact my design.  So far I’ve got a trip back to Cabo, New York City, California, Vail, and Bali on my list. 

#2: MORNING PAGES

Morning pages are a concept from the classic bestselling book on creativity The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - which is essentially a guide for everyday people looking to be more creative. Each morning, you sit down and write three journal pages or about 750 words of whatever comes to mind. Emphasis on whatever.  There’s no right or wrong and you don’t need to be a so-called writer to benefit from this practice. In an interview, Cameron shared that morning pages are a form of meditation, giving us fresh insights into ourselves and empowering us to make changes in our lives. Carving out space to get out my thoughts, doodle or work through certain feelings or emotions, feels like a perfect way to jumpstart my weekday mornings. 

#3: FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH FRIENDS 

This year, I want to be sure that I focus on my relationships with friends. So often, we are caught up in the daily bustle of our lives - work, significant others, etc. - but I’m so thankful for the relationships that I have and it’s important that this year they become a bigger priority in my life. Making the time to schedule and coordinate dinners with friends that I love will be a focus for me in 2020. There’s nothing like sharing a meal, a glass of wine and some belly laughs with people that know and love you. Here’s to “cheers-ing” more in the new year. 

#4: LISTEN MORE (AND BETTER) 

Easier said than done. However, I’m learning in life, and in business, to listen first. I recently read a statistic that said we only remember between 25 to 50 percent of what we hear. So often, as someone is talking, we find ourselves already planning what to say next, versus really taking in the information from our conversations. This year, I’m vowing to do better. 

#5: TAKE MORE VIDEO

This one is so special to me as I have a whole phone of photos but realize that going that extra step and creating video of the people that I love, the places that I’ve been, and the experiences that we’ve shared, will be the memories that I will cherish years from now. I want to start now, so that when I’m older I can look back and smile at these wonderful moments throughout my life. 

#6: MORE SELF-CARE

Raise your hand if self-care is on your resolutions list this year?! As women, so often we find ourselves taking care of everybody else. I’m so thankful for the moment that self-care is having because now more than ever we need to stop, breath and create opportunities to recharge, refresh and recalibrate. This year, my goal is to schedule a massage once a quarter to do just that. 

In addition to the ones above, here are just a few more from my list for 2020: 

• Start a consistent yoga regimen
• Volunteer joyfully
• Happily read more books
• Play with Legos and create masterpieces - yes, you read that right! 
• Write thank you cards often so it becomes a habit
• Get an Italian Greyhound (I’m obsessed with these animals!)

It’s always exciting to use the start of the year to ask yourself - what do I really want for my present and future self? And while I may not achieve each and every single one of these resolutions, I’ve set my intentions to make this year better than the last - and these resolutions written down forever, may just help me get there. 

 

I’d love to know, what are your 2020 resolutions? Share with us in the comments!