Hey everyone!
There’s something so special about the start of a new year, isn’t there? That feeling of possibility, of turning the page to a fresh chapter. Today, I wanted to sit down with you (virtually!) and have a heart-to-heart about what I’ve been up to since wrapping up Vlogmas, and share my vision and goals for 2024.
If you prefer to watch rather than read, I’ve embedded the video version below. Grab your coffee, tea, or whatever cozy drink you prefer, and let’s catch up!
Reflecting on Vlogmas
If you’ve been following along, you know I took on the massive challenge of Vlogmas this past December. Posting 12 videos in just 25 days was ambitious and, honestly, a little crazy! But I had three main goals:
- Proving to myself I could do it – Working every day (yes, weekends too!), sleeping less than ideal hours, and keeping up with that intense timeline was challenging. But I did it! Every single video went up as planned.
- Reaching new audiences – I’m thrilled that about 100-120 of you discovered my channel during December! Welcome to our little corner of the internet if you’re one of them.
- Enjoying NYC during the holidays – New York truly is magical during the holiday season. Everyone goes all out with decorations, and I wanted to document it all while crossing places off my bucket list.
Was it stressful? Absolutely. Would I do it again this year? That’s a big TBD! But overall, the Vlogmas experience was incredibly positive, and I’m so glad I pushed myself to make it happen.
Life Updates Since Christmas
After posting my final Vlogmas video on Christmas Day, I honestly needed some downtime. The days between Christmas and New Year’s were intentionally chill. Having run around the city for most of December, rest was exactly what I needed.
Christmas itself was lovely—just our little family of four (Tom, Julia, Oreo, and me). We continued our tradition of matching pajamas, which isn’t something I grew up with, but I absolutely love it now. We take beautiful photos each year to remember these moments, especially as Julia grows.
For New Year’s Eve, we kept things low-key at home (as many parents of toddlers will understand!). With Julia’s early bedtime, elaborate NYE plans weren’t practical, and honestly, after the busy holiday season, a quiet evening at home was perfect.
A January Birthday Celebration
January 7th was my birthday! I’ve always loved having my birthday at the beginning of the year—it feels like a double fresh start. As has become my tradition in New York, we spent the day at Central Park, my absolute favorite place in the city.
January in Central Park is special because most tourists have left after the holidays, making it peaceful and not as crowded. We were treated to a few light snow flurries (not the full snowfall I secretly hoped for, but beautiful nonetheless), and finished the day with dinner at Tavern on the Green. We’d been there about six or seven years ago in summer, but experiencing it in winter—and now with Julia—made it extra special.
Big News: We’re Moving!
This is the first place I’m sharing this news (you’re getting the exclusive scoop here before I announce it on social media!): we’re moving! Our lease for our current apartment is up in just a few days, so we’ll be saying goodbye to the place we’ve called home for the past two years.
Don’t worry—I’ll be filming a full apartment tour before we leave, as I always do when moving out of a space. Look for that video in the coming weeks!
Setting Goals for 2024
This year, I went ALL IN on goal-setting. After feeling like I was in survival mode last year (adjusting to first-time motherhood is no joke!), I finally feel ready to be more intentional about planning. I’ve created a comprehensive list covering different areas of my life where I want to improve or maintain good habits.
Recently, I discovered the concept of the «12 Week Year» (from a book published in 2013—how did I miss this?). The core idea is that instead of setting annual goals that feel distant and easy to procrastinate on, you focus on 12-week cycles. You work backward from your ideal life vision:
- Envision what your ideal life looks like
- Identify what you need to accomplish in 5-10 years to reach that vision
- Determine what needs to happen this year to move toward those 5-10 year goals
- Break it down to what you must accomplish in the next 12 weeks
I love this approach because it creates urgency and accountability. Three months goes by quickly, so you’re motivated to work on your goals daily and weekly, rather than pushing them off until later in the year (and we all know what happens then—suddenly it’s December and we’re writing the same goals again!).
How I Organize My Work Year
When it comes to organizing my professional year, I use a combination of Notion, Google Calendar, and paper planners. Rather than deciding specifically which brands I want to work with, I focus more on:
- The number of collaborations I’d like to secure throughout the year
- Income goals from brand partnerships
- Categories or spheres I’d like to focus on that align with my content
I find that setting broader goals while remaining flexible works better than being too specific about exactly which brands to target. Of course, I reach out to brands that excite me, but I focus more on the types of content and collaborations rather than specific partners.
When Things Don’t Go As Planned
This is such a great question that one of you asked! How do I handle it when my carefully laid plans don’t work out?
First, I try to distinguish between what’s within my control and what isn’t. For example, if my goal is reaching a certain number of YouTube subscribers, I can control the quality and consistency of my content, but I can’t control whether people choose to subscribe.
Next, I reassess whether the goal still matters to me. Sometimes, the person who set that goal in January isn’t the same person revisiting it months later. Our priorities and desires evolve, and that’s okay! There’s no point getting frustrated about not achieving something that no longer aligns with who you are.
Finally, I believe in measuring progress. As the saying goes, «What is not measured cannot be changed.» If you want to improve something, you need a specific plan and a way to track what you’re doing (or not doing). This helps you understand why you may have fallen short and how to adjust moving forward.
My advice? It’s okay to get frustrated when you don’t achieve your goals, but if you truly want something, keep working for it. Hold yourself accountable, track your progress, pivot when necessary, and don’t give up on your dreams.
What’s Coming to My Channel in 2024
Looking back at my content plans from last year, I realized there were three topics I mentioned but never delivered on: apartment updates, friends’ apartment tours, and book-to-screen adaptations.
For the apartment updates, well, now you know why those never materialized—we’re moving! But you’ll get the full apartment tour soon.
As for friends’ apartment tours, I reached out to so many people last year, but between their moves, travel, and camera shyness, it never quite came together. But good news: I’m filming my first friend’s apartment tour next week! I hope this will be just the first in a series throughout 2024.
For the book-to-screen adaptations, I’ve noticed my book recommendation videos have become less popular over time. While I love making them (and will continue occasionally for the dedicated readers among you), I’m not sure if expanding into adaptation reviews makes sense right now.
What WILL you see on my channel this year?
- Book recommendations (fewer than before, but still 2-3 throughout the year)
- NYC vlogs (showing more of the city, similar to Vlogmas)
- Behind-the-scenes content creator life (including my annual «how much YouTube paid me» video)
- Fashion trend videos (following the positive response to my fall trends video)
- Pregnancy and motherhood content (which seems to resonate with many of you)
- Potential new series on the 12 Week Year book review and productivity/planning systems
Let’s Connect!
Now it’s your turn! I’d love to hear what’s been going on in your life. How did you end 2023? What are your goals for 2024? Do you have any planning methods or tools you swear by? And of course, I always welcome suggestions for content you’d like to see from me this year.
Drop a comment below or reach out on Instagram. I truly value this community we’ve built together, and your input helps shape the content I create.
Here’s to making 2024 our best year yet! ✨
With love, Flor.
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