My Highlight Reel

Here are some of the high points of my eventful year:

• Took 18 flights
• Stayed in eight hotels, four vacation homes, and one boat
• Traveled to:
  • Miami and made some memories with friends
  • Cayman Islands and enjoyed the ocean
  • Mexico City and ate some of the best tacos
  • Wimberley and jumped into Jacob’s Well
  • Fort Worth and explored a Texas city
  • Egypt and marveled history and explored on a seven-day scuba liveaboard
• Volunteered with the Austin Marathon, Treefolks, Girls Empowerment Network, and Girl Forward
• Got to eat at Pujol and Quintonil
• Went on two brewery crawls (in one month nonetheless)
• Saw Trevor Noah, AWOLNATION, Book of Mormon, Taylor Swift, and the Backstreet Boys
• Read 76 books. See my reading recap post here
• Got serious about my skincare (and earned Sephora VIB status because of it, ha, oops)
• Hosted a Thai Dinner Party, Crawfish Boil, Urban Axes Party, a Fiesta, a Lake House Weekend, and Shellfishapalooza
• Watched Crazy Rich Asians and had some feelings about it. Same with Black Panther and Avengers Infinity War
• Worked out a lot, including monthly yoga, lots of spin, and training for a half-marathon
• Featured on a guest post (read it here)
• Logged 26 dives in the Cayman Islands and Egypt
• Got engaged and started planning our wedding
• Celebrated my birthday with dinner and dancing with friends
• Cooked through the Smitten Kitchen Every Day Cookbook
• Published 104 posts on Fearless Captivations (see the top and favorite posts here)

I loved this year, and so many memories were made. It was a solid year. I had some dreams come true, like visiting Egypt, seeing the Backstreet Boys in concert, and getting engaged. I made little strides to learn how to be more vulnerable and express my feelings better.

On the blog, I grew in the topics I wrote about and the quality of posts. I decided to write more about what I was interested in and not only what would get clicks. I dipped a foot into being more vulnerable by talking about growing up as a child of immigrants and mental health.

At the same time, this year felt safe and a little unsteady. I’m still trying to process some things and figure out what’s bothering me, so it’s hard to put into words. I try hard to celebrate the good instead of beating myself up about the things I didn’t accomplish. It’s why I write that list above. But I think there’s an opportunity to grow exponentially this year in ways I’ve been hoping for in my life.

My 2019 Goals

This year I want to feel confident, flourishing, connected, and thankful.

• Confident – This means accepting my worth and building my skills to thrive.
• Flourishing – This encourages me to hustle for growth and prosperity.
• Connected – This reminds me of my part in making the world a better place and my desire to build the relationships in my life.
• Thankful – This encourages me to continuously recognize the good in my life.

I’ve built my goals around these feelings. These are some of the things I’m looking forward to accomplishing this year:

CONFIDENT

• Excel in my new chair position for Austin Food Bloggers Alliance
• PR a half-marathon
• Try two new things a month

FLOURISHING

• Practice monthly with my camera
• Take a photography class
• Read 70 books
• Improve my SEO and copywriting skills
• Complete the Spanish and Chinese Duolingo courses
• Follow a budget
• Build my blog and social following

CONNECTED

• Volunteer 24 hours
• Complete a monthly farm-to-table challenge (see more info here)
• Take monthly trash walks to clean up my neighborhood
• Grow a garden

THANKFUL

• Wake up at 6 a.m. on weekdays
• Go to therapy
• Journal weekly to meditate
• Learn more about Chinese culture
• Do yoga at least once a month
• Work out at least three times a week

This will be a big year. I want to make big strides to be the best version of myself, physically and mentally.

This is the year I’m getting married! The responsibility of being a part of a marriage is exciting and terrifying. Maybe I’ll share some of these thoughts later. I want to prepare us for this change and host a memorable wedding.

Overall, it’s hard not to be excited about a new year and all the promise it holds. I know there will be plenty of food, travel, and celebrations, and I hope you will be along for the ride!

What are you hoping to accomplish this year?

P.S. If you’re curious, here are my recaps and goals from 2017, 2016, and 2015.

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The post 2018 Review + New Year Goals appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

What a fun year of reading! I started the year with the goal of reading 50 books. (I had read 53 books last year.) I ended up increasing it to 70 in the summer and then to 75 in the last few months of the year. I ended up reading 76 books! I mention the books I read here and there on my Captivations posts but I thought it would be fun to do a full recap of my year of reading.

My Books of 2018

First, some stats!

• Books Read: 76
• Pages Read: 21,424
• Average rating: 3.7
• Audiobooks: 28
• Memoirs: 22
• Fiction: 31
• Graphic Novels: 4
• Books of Short Fiction Stories: 2
• Poetry: 1
• Self Help: 7
• Shortest Book: A Different Pond by Bao Phi (32 pages)
• Longest Book: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (489 pages)
• Average Length: 281 pages

Favorite Books of 2018 (Books I Gave 5 Stars)

Tell Me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan
This memoir was a surprise favorite for me. I didn’t like it at first but grew to love the simple lessons. With stories about her two teenage daughters, husbands, and friends, Corrigan takes everyday struggles and shares profound insight.

What Unites Us: Stories of Patriotism by Dan Rather
We are a deeply divided country and the divide seems to grow with every offense. Journalist Dan Rather shares stories of the U.S. he knows and what can be done to bridge the divide. This book was a good reminder that our bubbles protect yet hinder our growth.

The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs
Within a year of a thirty-seven-year-old wife and mother discovering one small spot of cancer, she receives the news that it is terminal. Riggs’ memoir is a heavy one as she prepares to leave her young sons and her husband of sixteen years. It’s strange how facing death can give wisdom of how to live, and this book is a gift to the living.

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
This graphic novel is a quick and sweet read. It gives us the story of the author’s immigrant family coming from Vietnam to the U.S. parallel to the story of her learning to be a mother. Bui’s thoughtful and loving commentary shows the reverence and appreciation of everything parents sacrifice to give their children a better life.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The rich, colorful, and dramatic story Lee illustrates will have you feeling the pain and victories of the characters. This fiction novel follows three generations of one Korean family in Korea and Japan as they endure war, prejudice, and life’s hardships.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
I loved reading The Third Plate by Dan Barber last year and this book continues my journey of learning more what we eat, where it comes from, and what affects that has on our lives and environment. This Michael Pollan book brings light to different food sources – from fast food to his own hunting and gathering.

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Stories from Syria by Wendy Pearlman
This was a hard book to read but it was powerful and impacting. I think being a world away from conflict and viewing events through the eyes of media can make us feel far removed. This book shares the voices of Syrians who have endured and still endure unthinkable hardships. (I shared more from this book in this post.)

Choose Wonder Over Worry by Amber Rae
I loved this book because it encouraged me to see things from a different perspective, just as the title suggests. I can worry about what’s to come or choose wonder about how these things can empower my life.

Educated by Tara Westover
Westover’s memoir has been winning awards and topping lists, and after reading it, I can see why. The author shares her compelling story about how she grew up in a survivalist Mormon family in the mountains of Idaho. Her father didn’t believe in public education and she didn’t start formal education until she was 17 years old, but her ambition and thirst for knowledge took her to Brigham Young University, Harvard, and Cambridge. Her ability and ambition to excel is noteworthy, but I found her journey in self-discovery and healing to be the most important part of her story.

Evicted by Matthew Desmond
Desmond spent years in the field doing research and getting to know eight families in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Milwaukee. The result is this detailed, beautifully written, and heartbreaking book that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2017. The weight of the book made it hard to read and it took me months, but the end, the epilogue where Desmond offers solutions and tells how he researched the subject, will remind you the future is not hopeless.

All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft by Geraldine DeRuiter
This memoir will make you laugh, gasp, and get the feels, all while effortlessly following along the stories. This book is full of entertaining stories from DeRuiter’s life, and it’ll make you wish for the travel mishaps from where the best adventures come.

Other Book Notes

Most Surprising Books
These books were hard to read at times because of the atrocities the authors as children had to face. I think of children as happy and cared for but their stories opened my eyes to the reality.

• Never Stop Walking by Christina Rickardsson
• The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya

Books Worth the Hype
You’ve seen these books on list after list, and I agree that they’re worth reading. These books will keep you captivated and glued to the pages.

• An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
• Educated by Tara Westover

Books that Made Me Cry
I read a book by a widow and another by someone who died after writing the book. Both detailed fights against cancer and the precious moments and opportunities we take for granted.

• The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs
• It’s Okay to Laugh by Nora McInerny Purmort

Most Welcome Light-Hearted Book
I tend to read a lot of books with heavy subject-matter. I intentionally sought out something light-hearted and fun, and this book was it!

• My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

Books that are a Wild Ride
These books have drama and *spoiler alert* plot twists I wasn’t expecting. I read all three books in the Crazy Rich Asians series this year and they’re all like that.

• Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
• Beartown by Fredrick Backman

Common Themes
This year I sought out books about immigrants, refugees, and Asian culture, especially books written by Asian authors. It was a year of insight and connection, and I hope to continue this in the new year.

Reading Goals for 2019

My goal is to read 70 books next year. I want to read more of a genre I don’t usually read – science fiction and fantasy. Perhaps I’ll tackle the Harry Potter series? (I had read up to book four when they first came out.) I also want to make sure I sprinkle in more light-hearted books because I tend to choose impactful yet heavy reads. Reading more fiction will help with that. I also want to read as many classics as possible. I haven’t read books like 1984, Pride and Prejudice, or The Scarlet Letter! If you have any book recommendations, I would love to hear them!

If you’re looking for book recommendations, see these lists:

• NPR’s Best Books of 2018
• Goodreads’ 2018 Best Books Award List
• The New York Times’ Best Books of 2018

What’s your favorite book you read this year or favorite book in general?

P.S. If you’re curious about how I read so much (and how you can too), see this post I wrote last year.

You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post What I Read: My Books of 2018 appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

I like doing these posts because it’s a good overall view of the posts I published this year. This list includes a lot of travel and food-related posts, so it’s obvious what you all like to read!

Here are some of the top posts and my favorite posts of 2018!

You can see my top and favorite posts from previous years also. Click to read 2017, 2016, and 2015.

Is there certain content you want to see next year? Do you have a favorite post from this year? I would love to hear it! This will help me plan out posts for next year. Thank you for reading!

You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Top and Favorite Posts on Fearless Captivations in 2018 appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Happy New Year! The years are flying by as I get older. I hope 2017 treated you well! I like to reflect on “how I’m doing” frequently, but the beginning of a new year always feels like the best fresh start. It’s a good place to wrap things up and kick-off.

My word for 2017 was abundant because I wanted my abundance to overflow to others. I learned there is no limit to abundance and there is always an opportunity to do more. This quote from Jen Sincero is a good summary of what I learned about abundance this year.

“When we trust that we live in an abundant universe and allow ourselves to give freely, we raise our frequency, strengthen our faith, and feel awesome, thereby putting ourselves in flow and the position to receive abundant amounts in return. When we’re in fear, we hold on to what we’ve got because we don’t trust that there’s more. We pinch off the energy, we’re scared to share, and we focus on, and create more of, the very thing we’re hoping to avoid, which is lack. We live in a universe of give and receive, breathe and exhale, live and die, suck and awesome. Each side depends on the other, and each is relative to the other—every action has an equal and opposite reaction—so the more you give, the more you receive. And vice versa.”

My year involved a lot of eating, as my top nine Instagram photos above shows. I accomplished seven of my thirteen 2017 goals while I made a good dent on the ones I didn’t officially finish. With that, here’s a quick highlight reel of my year.

My 2017 in Review

• Hosted 12 parties, including Matcha Potluck Party, Cocktails and Appetizers, Pole Dancing Class, Aerial Class, 2nd Annual Crawfish Boil, Wine Tasting at Infinite Monkey Theorem, Galentine’s Party, Boyfriend’s Birthday Luau, Game Night, Miracle Fruit Party, 2nd Annual Shellfishapalooza, Cookie and Cake Decorating Party at Baked by Amy’s
• Ate at Apis, Juniper, Otoko, Pitchfork Pretty, and many, many other restaurants (2017 eating recap coming soon!)
• Stayed in 5 hotels, including Tin Valley Retro Rentals, Cocoview, and Hamanasi
• Took 14 flights
• Traveled to Nashville, Marfa, Big Bend National Park, Honduras, Disney World, and Belize
• Went to Sherwood Forest Faire, Float Fest, Busby Crawfish Boil, ACL Festival, BE Conference, Tiny Wardrobe Tour, and BlogathonATX
• Participated in the Women’s March
• Ate good food at (food events ->) Live Fire, CultureMap Tastemakers Awards, Austin Entertains, Pay It Forward, Texas Craft Brewers Festival, and Wine and Swine
• Ran the Austin Half-Marathon and 3M Half-Marathon to finish out the Austin Distance Challenge
• Partnered with Chocolaterie Tessa, Kellie’s Cookies, SoulCycle, PDQ, Captain Morgan, Enjoyful, and Tiny Pies
• Took a photography class
• Invested in a fancy, mirrorless camera
• Explored Austin by going to Hamilton Pool and Chicken Shit Bingo
• Visited 18 new-to-me breweries
• Volunteered by baking goods for Austin Bakes for Harvey, Austin Bakes for Natural Disasters, and Girls Empowerment Network
• Volunteered with Central Texas Food Bank and Urban Roots
• Tried bouldering, liked it!
• Celebrated my 30th birthday by going to Belize and enjoying lunch and dinner with friends
• Worked out 109 times, including lots and lots of spin classes
• Read 53 books
• Officially got my advanced open water scuba diving certification and got nitrox certified
• Logged 22 dives in Honduras and Belize
• Published 90 posts on Fearless Captivations

WHEW. Great stuff, right?! The stats are nice but there’s always the stuff you can’t quantify that mean so much more. Like becoming more comfortable in my own skin and getting clearer about how I want to support what I’m passionate about (local food, environment, giving back are some things). This includes growing my relationship and friendships. And finding clarity about what I want my life to look like and seeing examples of how we (the world) are all in this together.

Hello, 2018!

I’ve been thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2018 for a while. I think my last few years have encouraged me to cast my net wide and try many new things. This next year I want to go deeper into the things I enjoy. I think overall goals are about achieving happiness and living your best life every day.

I know I’ll be traveling, connecting with friends, and eating my heart out, so no need to make those easy goals. I don’t have one word picked out for the year but I know I want to make relationships, personal development, and giving back priorities. Overall I want to love harder, whether it’s being kinder to myself, doing my part in saving the environment, showing compassion to strangers, and being present with family and friends.

Here are a few of my goals for 2018:

• Journal daily gratitude
• Practice monthly with my camera
• Read 50 books
• Volunteer 24 hours
• Take a professional development or creative class every month
• Complete six craft projects
• Learn more about Chinese culture (not sure what this looks like yet)
• Finish the Spanish and Italian Duolingo programs
• Grow a garden
• Aim for zero food waste at home
• To make: black forest cake, bread pudding, kanom sai sai, Danish pastry
• Donate 5% of my income to charity
• Do yoga at least once a month
• Work out at least three times a week
• Make four new recipes monthly
• Meal plan weekly
• Collaborate with bloggers on two blog posts
• Do five in-depth food/culture blog posts (more info coming soon!)

I’m using a Passion Planner again this year to keep track of my progress. I love the format of the planner and the reflective pages after every month. How do you keep track of your goals?

I think it’s going to be a GREAT year, and I’m hoping for big things for you too!

What are some of your goals for 2018?

P.S. Curious about my past goals? Here are 2017, 2016, and 2015.

Keep up with me! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

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