four things for february

I had planned to sit down in December and make a long list of goals I wanted to accomplish each month in 2013. I thought this type of goal setting would be easier to achieve instead of having a ton of new years resolutions because I would be making smaller, easier goals that I could hold myself accountable to. Well, January came and left, and I still have yet to sit down to make my 2013 monthly goals. However, while I didn't actually set any goals to accomplish last month, I was offered some amazing opportunities and accomplished some huge milestones without really meaning to. Every weekend in January was filled with photo shoots, something I've been wanting to schedule and do for the past year, and I officially launched my own photography website and facebook page. While pursing photography has always a dream of mine, it wasn't something I thought I was ready to jump into quite yet, mainly because I was intimidated by the thousands of other photographers and scared to put myself out there. Luckily, these opportunities kind of fell into my lap and instead of being nervous, I ran with them.

So, moral of the story is, even though I didn't start off the year as I had planned, I'm so happy with how this year has been going and I'm so excited for whatever else life throws at me this year. I will probably end of setting some monthly goals for myself in the near future (let's be real, I probably won't get around to it in July/August) but for now, here are a couple of things I want to do in February:

1. Make lovely valentines day cards like this one to send to friends near and far (via)
2. Finish editing photos from this cutie's 1 year old photo shoot from last weekend (and get ready to photograph his first birthday party in March!)
3. Carry my camera with my everywhere so I can capture pretty pictures like this one
4. Finally make our coffee table after storing the hairpin legs in my closet for the past 4 months (via)

Do you have anything you want to accomplish this month? I'd love to hear about them!

Goal Setting- New Years Resolutions

After my recent success with the "mile a day" goal, I've been on a goal-setting high. Elise gives some great tips for setting goals (my goal in life is to be more like her...) and I've embraced some of her tips for my new years resolution goals.

Side note: I never follow my resolutions. Ever. I can't even make it through a week without breaking one of them, and I think it's because my goals are always extremely ambitious. They are things that I'd like to do (like work out every day), but that are slightly unreachable without any structure and plan, so when I fall off track one day I give up instead of getting back on the horse.

This year I've decided to go less grandeous with my goals and take a while to real focus on what I what to achieve the next year. The past year has been centered on redefining my likes and hobbies and refocusing on who I want to be. It's been a long and torturous journey (Jack can tell you all about my late-night sobbing fests where I whine about not knowing who I am or what I like.. they're so much fun) but (for the moment) I am completely happy and content with where I am right now. However, there are many many things I want to learn, improve, and grow in, so that is how I'm going to utilize this year's goals.

As I mentioned, and thank's to Elise's great advice, sometimes you need to check in with your progress and  refocus your goals to make sure they're still attainable and still what you want to be doing. While I'll be using these goals and a framework for what I want to learn and do, this is a very flexible list of things I hope to achieve by the end of the 2013 year.

So, with that said, here are my goals for the next year:
- run 365 miles (stolen from Elise :)
- be able to touch my toes
- complete 12 photography projects (one each month)

• The Individual- a complete portrait shoot that fully captures their internal and external beauty
• Lower Height Photo Walk/ Case Study- documenting the North Beach neighborhood
• A Study of Light- exploring different techniques using natural and man-made lighting
• Hockney Inspired- celebrating of one of my favorite photographers by creating a photographic collage
• Color Challenge- finding and focusing one color in multiple locations
• Night Life- the city after dark
• Macro Focus- a study of every day life at the macro level
• Epitomizing Myself- exploring self portraits and trying to capture the essence of me
• San Francisco Architecture- celebrating the city's most celebrated and overlooked buildings
• Food for Thought- practicing commercial food photography in a new way

- complete 12 crafting projects (one each month)

• quilt
• sew a scarf

- read 12 books (including 6 nonfiction books...)

• Extremely Loud and Incredible Close
• ROOM

a new year//a new start.

I've struggled to write this post for a while- I've wanted to keep postponing it until the words came and I felt like I knew exactly what I wanted to say and do and be in the year 2013. But truth be told, I really don’t know now and I doubt I’ll know even at the end of 2013. The past two months I've been struggling with the question of what I want to do with my life- I've gone back and forth an unbelievable amount of time between being a teacher or photographer or graphic designer or just selling my soul to the devil (which sounds like the easiest choice right now…). I know this struggle will be a long one because I want to do everything- I want to experience every experience there is and I'm scared I won't be satisfied until I do. However, I know that I probably won’t find my place in the world until I’m old and grey. So, for 2013 my main goal is to not worry about what my purpose is- I'll figure it out eventually- and instead to focus on the now by making myself the healthiest, happiest me I can be.  I hope my super simple manta will help simplify my life and thoughts and keep me focused in the upcoming year. I have smaller goals for each section and will start posting more about them on a monthly basis (and I might even do monthly goals at the start of each month! I know, get excited), but for now, here are my resolutions for 2013:

Live Well

(Less TV, more exploring)

Eat Well

(Less tummy aches and lethargy, more muscles and energy)

Be Happy

(Less complaining, more smiling)

A Mile A Day Recap

Well folks, I did it. One mile, every day, for one month. Not only has this mile-a-day challenge improved my running abilities and gotten me back in shape, but it's also helped me realize that I can do anything I set my mind to. Really, it sounds cheesy, but when I think back on those early mornings and those miserable pouring rain, dark nights when I still threw on my running shoes, I know that I have the willpower and strength to do anything I put my mind to.

For example, not only did I run a mile every day, but I also decided to run a 10K halfway through the month. And, I did it WITHOUT STOPPING. (Whhhattt? You are crazy good at running now Anna!) Yeah, I know, and I'm going to brag about that feat for a while. A year ago, I could barely run a 5K without almost passing out. Needless to say, a lot has changed my friends. Not only was I able to run the 10K, but I kinda liked it. Yep, I liked running 6.2 miles straight. As much as I struggled and cursed myself throughout the run, there was no better feeling then coming up on that final 1/2 mile- high fiving random strangers, music blasting at the finish line, crazy bystanders dressed up in neon leotards cheering you on... (did I mention it was an 80's 10K? The costumes and throw-back music really helped me around mile 4.) But really, once I finally stopped running I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment that I have never felt before. And that feeling is what has kept me running each day and that I hope will keep me running even after this challenge is over.

Oh yeah, want to know another thing? I just signed up for the Rock 'n' Roll HALF MARATHON in May. I'm pretty sure I've gone crazy.

read more about this goal here and here. 

from where I run {a mile a day}

I have always struggled to have a work out routine. Ever since high school, where I played soccer every day, I've had a hard time finding a regimen that interests me and keeps me wanting to work out. I'm lucky that I don't have to work out for weight reasons, but as I grow older I've found that I wake up sore and tight, consequences of being out of shape. I wish more than anything that I liked to work out, but it's one of those things that I just can't do.

I recently found this lovely lady's amazing blog and was instantly inspired, in many ways besides just working out. She is so crafty and an amazing artist, and you can bet you'll be seeing some of her DYI attempts here. But aside from that she is extremely hard working and dedicated, something I'm still trying to teach myself to be. She has a whole section on setting goals for herself, and from this I've been inspired to try to set goals for myself- particularly in the working out area. Last year, she ran one mile every day for a month. Tired, energized, sick- no matter how she felt she made sure to run one mile every day.

This, I think I can do. One mile. Every day. For one month. From Nov. 1st to December 1st, I WILL run one mile a day. It will take dedication and motivation, but I feel that if I can do this, I can prove to myself that I can stick to something for longer than two weeks, that I have the dedication and willpower that I've always struggled with. Plus, I'm signed up for a 5K in the middle of November so this will help me "train". In order to stay motivated, I'm going to take a tip from Elise and photograph something every run to create a cool motivational collage. While I won't be sharing all the photos here, I'll be giving spontaneous updates and you can see the photos on instagram at @annaemarks.

Wish me luck!