She's Baaaaacccckkkkk! New Year, New Me...well sort of...

"And suddenly you know...it's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings."

Hi Dolls-

Happy Monday and the 2nd Week of 2018---I couldn't quite get this all together for New Year's Day! 

So here you have it...same old Jenny (again, as the title of the post says...sort of) but brand new blog.  If you've found yourself here, you are probably one of my very close girlfriends or one of my very faithful, devoted readers who has dealt with me for years blogging so sporadically that it was just nuts.  But I thank you!  I thank you for coming back and supporting me as you always have.  I'm still working out a few kinks with the design but that will all come in time. 

Why the new blog?  Why the new name?  Why why why?!?  Well, to be perfectly frank and honest, I thought it was about time.  I debated getting back into blogging over the last 6 months.  I wrote posts, deleted them, wrote them again, deleted them and then just ending up saving them in my archives.  But then I started reading back on the very few and far between posts in 2017 (and even some in 2016) and I was disappointed.  I was disappointed in myself for some of the the things I decided to share.  I was disappointed that I appeared very self absorbed.  I was disappointed by the way some of my posts came off.  I was disappointed that I wasn't as honest as I wish I had been or as crass as I am in real life.  2017 was a real game changer for me.  I went through a gazillion changes and outside of sharing them with my real life besties and family, you guys were the ones I wanted to share it with next.  And I can't wait to do that.  But in doing that, I didn't want it to be on my old blog...because well, my old blog is just not me anymore.  It's not the person who I feel I am today.  The new name...well, it's kind of an homage to my favorite show of all times "Sex and the City" and my new life I am experiencing trying out city living for the first time.  Plus I think it's pretty catchy!  So girlfriends, those are the answer to the why!  I wanted to refocus, recenter and really regroup (including this new blog) on my life going into 2018.  ALL THINGS NEW! 

So...for my first post of my new blog I thought I would reflect some on my 2017 and then chat about my goals and inspiration for 2018. 

Highlights:

• Traveling to Europe with my sister
• Having cosmetic surgery
• Selling my childhood home
• The birth of one of my sweetest friends baby, Nora
• Reaching my goal weight
• Traveling with my besties
• Losing one of my dogs
• Posting a bikini photo on social media
• Finding a new owner to my 12 year old, never worn wedding dress

Disappointments:

• Not telling someone I loved them and fighting for our relationship
• My relationship with God (he didn't disappoint me but I feel I'm in a rut with my faith)
• A few career misses that I had related to my job.  I don't like to take no for an answer but in 2017 I unfortunately had to do that which required me to swallow my pride.

Game Changers:

• Finally loving myself (even more so, loving myself naked)
• Selling my home in the suburbs and moving into the city
• Having my heart broken

Areas of Focus:

• My body (more on this in future blogs but this will always be a focus)
• My friends and our relationships
• Figuring out what I want to do in my life

Reflection:  2017 was an amazing year for me and I can't wait to backtrack a little and tell y'all all about it.  I focused on myself more than I ever have before and looked at where I was at in life and where I wanted to be.  And I made changes based on that assessment.  Some of it was hard to do but so very necessary and I'm not looking back at it.  Some decisions I still question if I made the right choice. 

For 2018, my goals and inspirations are:

• Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year-Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Focus less on the past:  Use 2018 to let go of the negative.
• Let go of what's holding me back. 
• Be intentional:  Friendships, relationships, career, love, food.  "Don't be afraid to say goodbye to anything or anyone who doesn't make you feel like your authentic self".
• Work on my relationship with God.

Thank you again for being here.  I've missed y'all!  I've missed writing.  I've missed feeling creative and the bond with other bloggers.  Also, since I've been out of the blogging world for over 6 months I need some help on getting back involved---link up posts, new blogs to follow, etc.  So, thanks in advance for that!

Cheers to 2018!  Can't wait to share more!