My Fall 2016 Bucket List

It may still technically be summer, but now that September has officially arrived, it feels as though the long, never ending days of the summer months are finally behind us.

Don’t get me wrong - there are certainly things I like about summer. There’s an excitement about it that I enjoy. The subtle pressure to break out of our mid-year routines into something new and adventurous. But then there’s the heat. And specifically, the Houston heat. The constant 100 degree days that burn through car windows and the humidity that makes any sort of hairstyling a futile effort have gotten a little old. So, yeah, I think I’m ready for summer to be over.

To me, September feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s the first taste of fall - of a season that’s all about coziness and warmth and family. Fall has always been my favorite season. And as usual, I’m looking forward to it more than ever. It's also always one of the most productive seasons for me. So this year, I want to be intentional about setting out a few goals that I want to reach this fall. Here's a few of them, just to start out with. ;)

Read 12 Books

Technically, I already have this item on my list if you consider my 3 books a month challenge. But to be honest, I haven’t been doing so well on sticking to it every month. I have read at least one book every month though, so I’m proud of myself for that. I really want to commit to finishing the year off strong with this challenge though, so hopefully fall will be a reading intensive season for me. I’ve got so many books I want to read on my list, so finding titles shouldn’t be too difficult. If you’ve got any recommendations though, I will happily take them!

Build a Better Fall Wardrobe

I’m no fashionista, but fall is definitely my favorite season when it comes to style. I can’t wait to pull out some of my beloved sweaters when the cold weather rolls in, though it’ll probably be for another two months here in Houston… But I also want to start be more intentional about expanding my fall wardrobe, beyond just buying sweaters and boots I find on sale every now and then. I’ve never loved spending money on clothes, but I’m at the point in my life that I realize it’s necessary in order to build a nice, professional wardrobe.

Post Another Fandom Inspired Photoshoot

A couple months ago my sister and I gathered some Luke’s Diner sweatshirts, coffee and pizza slices for a Gilmore Girls inspired photoshoot in a part of our city that happens to resemble Stars Hollow. It was such a random and fun thing to do (even if it was waaayy too hot outside for those sweatshirts)! I’d love to do something like that again this fall, inspired by another TV show or movie I love. I have some ideas already but I don’t want to spoil anything yet, so you guys will just have to stay tuned!

Finish Writing a Novel

Oh, the novel writing journey. It's both thrilling and painstaking. I'm still committed to the story that has my heart, and that I've been working on for the past year and a half. But recently, I've also started to work on another story (you know, when the writer's block is just too much on the other). It's an easier story for me to write for a number of reasons, and I'm thinking that I may just finish this one out to start off with so I can get something out there. Even if it means self-publishing. I may start off by sharing some chapters here, so stay tuned. Either way though, my goal is to finish one of these novels before the year ends.

Start Freelance Writing

I dedicate quite a bit of time to writing for this blog, and write for work as well but even that doesn't seem enough to quell the writing bug in me! There are so many opportunities out there to write whether it be for blogs, websites or magazines, and I think it's time I start pursuing some of them (it would also be nice to have a little extra money on the side from my writing, you know). Of course, getting started on this can feel a little overwhelming. I'm taking some time to do some research but hopefully I'll publish my first freelance article before the end of the year. If you've got any tips on this, I'd really appreciate them!

What's on your fall bucket list?

#life #2016