[All photos in this post where taken by Huong Nguyen of Heartlab Co.]

I know I’m talking about New Year’s resolutions 15 days into the year, but I’m really serious about them this time.

I’ve said it a few times before and even now the following statement still holds true: 2017 was pretty crummy. But I say that in the collective sense. The 365 days in the previous year sucked overall, but when I take a step back and change my perspective a bit there were some amazing points. Interviewing chef Massimo Bottura and reality star Apryl Jones, landing on the Smart Mouth podcast, speaking at the Microsoft Los Angeles headquarters, and attending the preview for the 69^th Emmy Awards are just a few of the exciting things I did along with eating at some truly exceptional restaurants like Gargantua.

Now that the year has ended and the third week of 2018 has kicked off, I took some time to strategize on what I want to accomplish and implement in next 11.5 months. While I’ve grown and made lots of developments personally and with my website, it’s time to take things to the next level. In 2018, I plan to work harder, move outside of my comfort zone, and do a few things that scare me. To do so, I’ve set a few goals and this year I plan to go after them like Carrie Bradshaw at a shoe sale.

[1] Posting Consistently.

Last year I was so overwhelmed with life changes that I wasn’t able to post as often as I would have liked. I don’t feel bad about that because the things I was dealing with were more important. However, looking back on it I wish I would have been consistent on writing posts in advance so I would have had content to deliver on days when I wasn’t feeling well. Knowing that, I plan to write my reviews while at restaurants or when the blogging ideas come to mind so I can finish posts when I get home. I want to edit pictures the day that I take them and (if possible) get posts ready to be published the next day. If things can’t go that way, then I would at least like to post consistently during the week so you awesome readers can have the restaurant and blog content you love when you expect it!

[2] Do More Interviews.

Doing interviews was something I never planned to do, but once I was presented with the opportunity, I jumped at it. It was extremely exciting to sit down with esteemed individuals in the restaurant industry to learn their perspective on food, chefs, and dining. With that I’m so eager to do more this year. I can’t wait to sit down with restaurant writers, podcast hosts, chefs, and foodies to get their insight on dining, cooking, and blogging. It’s one thing to get to write about restaurants, but it’s even more to get added input from those directly in the line of work.

[3] Website Improvements.

I never went to school for design or web development so all that I’ve done with this site was thanks to YouTube and the help of extremely patient friends. I say that because while I love my FollowMyGut.com website, there are so many things that I still need to fix. Widget images need to be redone, a subscription page should be somewhere, and stronger SEO has to be implemented. I still don’t know why they haven’t been done a month ago, but it’s coming. Overall, the things I’m looking to fix may be small or unnoticeable changes, but the enhancements will make the site better for you guys and the ease of reading, searching, and drooling over food is all I want.

[4] Make More Videos.

The internet is moving to a greater focus on video and although I knew that, I also avoided it. I post often through Instagram Stories and even made a music video, but to edit and create videos often has been somewhat nerve-wracking. But if life has been a teacher then I know that the things that have scared me become the things I need to do in order to advance to the next level. Instead of putting it off any longer, I’m taking the leap and will be incorporating more videos onto the site and my social media pages. I already have a few themes that I can’t wait to run with and hope that you like what you see!

[5] Public Speaking.

Speaking in front of people was scary, but the more I started to do it throughout 2017 the easier it became. I started with high schools talking to kids about how to follow their dreams even if it doesn’t take the traditional higher education route. I then got the chance to speak at few events and conferences such as Curl Talks at The Reef in Downtown LA. Sure I still got nervous and sweated a lot prior to taking the stage, but the minute I spoke into the microphone I felt a sense of relief that quickly turned into anticipation for the task at hand. After it was all over I realized that it was a lot of fun to do something that once frightened me, to hear people say they enjoyed my presentation, and to offer value through my experience. That feeling, is something I can’t wait to do over and over this year.

Now that 2017 is over and all the difficult times are behind me, I’m really eager to move into 2018 with a new perspective and a greater degree of gumption. I know it will be hard to accomplish it all, but if I can even make the smallest step every single day to a better me and blog, I’m sure that I will be more than proud with what I have at the end of the year.