With the new year always comes more goals. I often have some pretty lofty ones for myself that usually involve some sort of exercising, dieting or reading goal. In 2019 the one goal I stuck with the most was consistently reading the Bible chronologically all year! I just finished and it was amazing. Never have I stuck with a goal like that. For 2020, I’m trying to look at my goals a little differently. I’m ultimately trying to focus on two key concepts: contentment and community. God has blessed me with so many things in my life, I just have to take a step back to see that. So, without further adieu, here’s where my focus will be for the next year (and beyond!):

2020 Goals for life:

1. Allow myself to be bored – I find myself in a constant state of doing something. Whether it’s important or not, I just can’t seem to sit still and do nothing. I want to soak in more of life in the in-between moments. Whether that’s playing with the kids or not pulling my phone out ever time I have a few seconds to spare.
2. Be intentional with the kids – going along with the theme of my first goal, I want to be more intentional with my kids. Yeah, it’s hard to balance running a business at home while raising my kids, but they deserve my undivided attention at least once, every single day.
3. Document more daily life on my camera – I’m a photographer and capture so many moments for other people, I don’t document my own family enough! My camera will now be sitting in an easy-to-reach location with a 24-70mm on it at all times to capture special moments in a way a phone never will.
4. Less time on my phone – this seems to be my theme. I catch myself on it all. the. time. It’s SO frustrating! I get so mad at myself for mindlessly clicking apps throughout the day.
5. Read more – again, rather than being mindless on my phone before bed, I want to read! Reading a few pages out of a book before bed helps me fall asleep faster and I can feel the difference it makes in keeping my mind sharp.
6. Focused Bible Reading – last year I read the entire Bible in chronological order. This year I’m taking a slower, more focused approach on select books to really gain deeper knowledge.
7. 6th Anniversary – Joey and I didn’t do anything to celebrate our 5th year of marriage. This year we’re going to change that by celebrating 6 years of marriage together and I am DEFINITELY booking us an anniversary session 🙂

2020 Goals for business:

1. Blog regularly – I love writing these posts when I sit down to do it. I just haven’t made the time! This year I’m blogging more personally and really letting who I am shine — hold me to it!
2. Build community – I want to really strengthen the Bethany McNeill Bride community. Bethany McNeill Brides are amazing ladies and I want to create a strong community of both past and present brides!
3. Photograph more anniversaries – marriages fill up my love tank. I LOVE working with couples as they go from engagement to their wedding day, now I want to expand my focus to the years beyond the wedding day. I don’t think anniversaries get celebrated enough!
4. Exclusively shoot weddings/engagements/anniversaries – this is where my passion lies. This will be the year I move into exclusively shooting these types of sessions.
5. Let you all into my life more! – I want you all to know a little bit more about who Bethany McNeill is, so I’ll be sharing more about who I am and how that influences the Bethany McNeill brand I’ve created.
6. Take my stool to sessions – guys, I’m short! I often forget to take a stool with me, but I really should because most everyone I photograph is taller than me!
7. More shoots for fun – I booked myself a spot at a Styled Shoots Across America styled wedding shoot for fall of 2020! I want to keep growing with new challenges that are also really fun! 🙂

So, there you have it! A lot of these are very general goals rather than specific number goals, but I like to look at the big picture. I don’t have a goal number of weddings I want to book this year. I just want to love and serve every couple God blesses me with this year to the best of my ability!