Last week You Me Serendipity turned one! I am so grateful for what this space has given me this past year and, more importantly, how it has connected me to you! In celebration of this first year, I thought it would be fun to revisit some of the highlights of 2016 and share with you some of what is to come in 2017!

The 2016 Highlights

In the first post ever shared on You Me Serendipity, I focused on the difference between subjective perfection and objective perfection. This post set the tone and mission for You Me Serendipity, highlighting that by choosing to embrace subjective perfection, we are able to value who we are while striving to make ourselves better.

In February I shared five things I've learned about being a partner to Kurt in our marriage. Almost a year later these five things are still true and continue to guide me!

March brought the first series to You Me Serendipity. In the Newlywed Date Night Series I shared some of mine and Kurt's favorite date nights, from dressy dinners out to low-key nights in! These date nights helped shape the first year of our marriage and set the foundation for a healthy relationship.

In April I shared how the KonMari method has not only helped me take back control of my closet, but also helped me to overcome some body image issues and reclaim some self-confidence. This post also kicked off the Becoming Confident Series, which will continue to expand in 2017!

In April I also was interviewed for the Fulfilling Life's Yearnings podcast. You can read more about that experience (and listen to the podcast) by visiting the post here!

Throughout the spring I shared some of my favorite wedding DIY projects, including our invitations, hand-painted table numbers, ceremony music and reception playlist, and one of the most meaningful DIYs of our wedding day, my lace hair combs!

I also shared my 2016 goals at different points throughout the year. These four posts outlined the six goal areas I worked on as well as the progress I made with each of them!

Midway through the year I shared the gallery wall in our apartment. This post came as a result of several inquiries following an Instagram post, and I was excited to share more of our home. The gallery wall has continued to grow since that post, and a mini-gallery wall was also hung in our bedroom!

In August I started another new series, Giving with Meaning! Celebrating those I love with meaningful gifts is something I truly love to do. This series shared some of my favorite gifts while keeping in mind how budgets, timing, and distance often impact gift giving.

In September I shared with you how I celebrate small wins each day in order to overcome burning out. By using both "to-do" and "ta-da" lists, I stay on top of my tasks while also celebrating my successes each day! I also shared the storage bench that Kurt and I made together for my office space!

I shared with you ten of my best travel tips and tricks in October. With the amount of travel I do throughout the year, and the vacations and shorter trips that Kurt and I take together, it was hard to narrow it all down!

In November, I shared my experience after the presidential election and it became my most read and shared post on You Me Serendipity.

To round out the year, I shared with you the first Holiday Gift Guide as a part of the Giving with Meaning Series! I also shared the recipe for my favorite Christmas dessert, Gingerbread Cake.

What is coming in 2017

With so much shared in 2016, it's exciting to think about what 2017 will bring for this little community! But if you read my 2017 goals, you know that this year I aim to make You Me Serendipity more about what truly matters to me, and less about common online media trends. In 2017 I want to be more honest, open, and forthcoming in this online space, spending less time on the things that don't help me live a life rooted in subjective perfection.

You might be wondering where this desire came from, and I'm eager to share the catalyst for this goal in an upcoming post. Just know that this year my desire to present my most authentic self to you all is so strong, and I hope to use that as a touchstone for what I share with you each week.

For now, I'm making plans to continue expanding all three of the existing series: Becoming Confident, Giving with Meaning, and Newlywed Date Nights. I am also considering adding a fourth series dedicated to relationship building as well. Because the capacity for women to be reaffirming and edifying in language and action is great, I believe it is crucial for us to lift each other up regularly. I hope to dedicate more time exploring female relationships and friendships this year!

In addition to what I do alone, I want to seek out partnerships and opportunities to build this community with individuals and groups who also embrace subjective perfection. If you have suggestions for whom I should seek, please share those with me in the comments! I have a couple of people and organizations in mind, but I would love to know who else you follow that might resonate with the values and message of You Me Serendipity.

Ultimately, I want the readers and followers of You Me Serendipity to find something that positively impacts them each time they visit. There is so much on the internet that can cause pain and doubt; my wish is that you find in our experiences together a kernel of hope to take with you - wherever you may be!

Whether you've been here from the beginning or have recently started visiting, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Last year I set out to create a space dedicated to the pursuit of subjective perfection and I am so thankful for how you have contributed to that dialogue. I look forward to sharing and growing with each of you this coming year!