WOW I am just amazed at how quickly this year is going by! This year started with so many hopes and dreams that were quickly crushed right away. I had to really think positively and get myself focused on not only God, but my passions! Along with teaching and starting my first semester of Residency, my passion for travel was reignited and I truly put a huge focus on my blog than before! So when I say I am blown away by the fact that I ended my semester with a 4.0, that is truly an understatement (quick brag). It has been a crazy, busy first half of the year and it truly isn’t even at the halfway mark yet!!
I have really began to become so excited for what the rest of this year holds for me. Y’all know in the beginning of the year I set some travel goals for 2021. I wanted to take some time to reflect on where I am at with these goals and what I plan for the rest of the year! I would love to take you along on my journey and feel free to reach out if you’d like to actually tag along!!
How’s it going???
I will tell you what those travel goals are again just incase you forgot, as I really don’t expect any of you to remember my personal travel goals!! I hope you have set your own and are beginning to reflect on them.
- Cross more states off my list to reach all 50!
- Explore more of the United States
- Take better “blogger” pictures (I still laugh at myself every time)
- Visit more National Parks
- Take an international trip again!!
Ok so here is how it’s going… I made these goals based on travel plans I had set and really what I hoped to accomplish within a year where the world seemed to be more optimistic about reopening. While I have changed many trip plans I have made, I haven’t changed any of my goals!
Goal 1: So far I have crossed off one more state! I visited Utah for the first time ever this spring. I have plans to visit Nevada as well this fall. At the end of the year I will have at least two new states under my belt, making my count 20 states out of 50. Still have a LOT more to go, but every one is a step closer!!
Goal 2: Along with crossing off new states, I have clearly seen more of the US! While visited Utah, I also visited areas of Colorado I had never been to before which was awesome since I have been to Colorado a couple times before this year. I plan to continue to explore more of the US this year and plan to revisit Michigan and explore places I have never seen before (including part of the Upper Peninsula). This goal is not just about crossing more states off, but exploring new parts of the states I have already been to before.
Goal 3: I laugh every time I read this goal back to myself. This seems so superficial, but I’ve always enjoyed photography and could take pictures of others, but having creative and cool pictures of myself is just not something I am great at. I plan to spend my adventures trying new things and creating content that is different and unique to my personality. I think little by little I am getting better! I can’t wait to compare previous pictures to the ones I take over this year.
Goal 4: Visiting all 63 National Parks isn’t necessarily a bucket list item for me, but I did purchase an America the Beautiful pass to give me unlimited access to all parks for a year. This has caused me to push hard for visiting more within that year! The pass is $80 and covers all parks that belong to the National Park service so really you can visit all 63+ for the same price as purchasing a pass separately for 3 different parks. It’s a steal!! So far this year, I was able to cross two new parks, Arches and Canyonlands, off the list! I had planned on visiting another park, but it just didn’t happen. No worries, because my goal doesn’t say how many I have to visit but that I just go out and explore new parks! Now I am trying to decide which one I will visit next.
Goal 5: This is HUGE for this year, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic still lingering! I was going to do it regardless of what my options were (limited or vast). I planned an entire trip for Mexico, flights and all. Then, I canceled it. I decided to redirect my plans and head to Croatia this summer!! Woohoo!!! I haven’t formally announced it on my account, but I have told some people here and there that I will be in Croatia for some time this summer. I am so excited and there are so many new options opening week by week. Will I plan two in one year? We’ll see, but for now, I am so thankful to be able to leave the country again! PSA: I am fully vaccinated and have been since March 2021.
How are your 2021 goals going? Have you had to reevaluate or are you on track to meeting the ones you set in the beginning? With life changing so much this year and many other changes occurring in the world, I think it is totally ok to change your goals! Do you set travel goals? I assume most of my audience here loves traveling and has a huge bucket-list like me, setting goals for travel will truly help you cross those places and experiences off your list easier!