Alright sis, to kick off our very first post ever – we at SGS want to gift you with our official 2018 SGS Bucket list! Yes, we are right off the New Year, so everyone’s New Year’s resolutions are still top of mind, and while we still want you to keep those top of mind – we want to encourage you to get involved with some of our SGS Bucket list items, in hopes that some of our hopes and dreams for this year make it to your list. You don’t have to start at the top, or the bottom – maybe someplace in the middle? No matter where you start, just start. Start the book, publish that podcast, get that business plan signed, sealed and delivered – so you can start making these dreams come true.

1. Get A New Hobby

Try something new this year! Outside of work, outside of your business ( or maybe you can get a hobby that helps your business?) outside of your friend circle, outside of your family – get a hobby that you can do on your own and learn from by yourself. Some examples include learning a new language, getting better knowlege on politics by listening to political podcast, teaching yourself how to write in braille…the sky is the limit! Bonus Points: pick up a hobby that no one would expect you to do.

Source : Lindsey Gene

2. Book a Solo Trip To A Place You’ve Never Been

How many of us are ready to travel, but don’t quite have friends or family that are in the right place to travel at the moment? We want to travel and explore new cities, but have to wait on our girlfriends to get their funds together, or that one girlfriend to get back with us and let us know if she can go or not. Why not just book the trip yourself and go alone. It doesn’t have to be long. Start off with just a short weekend trip, and before you go make an itinerary of the restaurants you want to eat at, and the places you want to see while you’re there. Exploring the world on your own is magical in it’s own right. You don’t always have to be with people – this teaches you how to be content with just good ole you.

3. Build Your Prayer Life

There is nothing wrong with a little prayer, and honestly sis prayer goes a long way. You don’t have to be a saved and santified church goer to pray, nor do you have to be a woman without sin. Those days are well over – and the times that we live in now, it’s important to start a prayer life. We at SGS have a relation with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Pray to what you believe in whether that be the Universe or whatever divine power you believe in. The point of prayer is to start connecting with that power you have on the inside. To speak prosperity and divinion over your life and for those that you love. Start by praying once a day, and try to up it to when you wake up and before you go to bed. Prayer is power

Source: @darling_tee

4. Build Your Network

In a world of “It’s not what you now, but who you know” , it’s important to have a good network! Building your network enables you to have access to different opportunities that you might not have otherwise if you didn’t step out of your box and start connecting with people outside of your typical circle. Speak up at those corporate happy hours! Send emails to those you’d like to connect with on a professional level. The point is to build outside of the people you already surround yourself with. It’s okay to have your “inner circle” of friends that you trust and keep close. But that inner circle might not have a lot to gain from it in terms of professional or personal growth.

Source: @danielledarlynn

5. Lock Down a Skincare Regime

That melanin! Listen – our skin is our best friend, and she is the only thing that will be with us when we are old and gray. So why not take care of her? Find the products that work for you and stick with them. The issue with today’s society is that there is so many products out there on the market for skincare, and they are packaged up really pretty, and marketed so well it makes us want to empty our pockets and buy up everything, it’s a blessing and a curse! If you find products that your skin takes well to, get a routine going. You can’t stick with a facial cleanser that’s going well for 1 month, and as soon as you hear about something new switch to something else. You have to build a routine to see the real benefits of taking care of your skin on a daily basis. P.S – You’re 60 year old is already thanking you.

Source: @sepicachicago

6. Try A New Food Dish At Least Twice

We all know how picky us girls can get – but we’ve got to broaden our horizons! Try a new food dish that you’ve always looked down upon because it sounded nasty, or looked gross, or just wasn’t in your food repertoire. We at SGS remember the first time we tried oysters. Now before you go turning your nose up, in the beginning we thought they were disgusting, they look gross, and it’s literally slime on the inside. But after trying them again we didn’t hate them so much. They actually ended up being a great conversation starter with friends! So that restaurant that everybody’s been raving about but you won’t go to because the food is literally everything form the rain forest in Vietnam ( no shade, just an example) try it. It might surprise you.

Source: @marieantoinette

7. Create A New Family Tradition

Family is so important, and it’s important to have traditions that your family can expend upon. Have you always wanted to do a family vacation? Or spend Christmas as a family in another state? Maybe do a family camping trip, or take family portraits at the end of each year? Whatever it may be, start one family tradition this year, big or small. Everyone might not be inclined to do it with you in the beginning, but get a couple of family members to start, and see how it grows over the years!

8. Open Up A Second Savings Account

If you already have a savings, great! If you don’t – get one sis, it’s 2018. But this year how about opening up a second savings account. Keep your regular money as money you wouldn’t dare touch, and that you just want to grow. Open up your second savings for something you are specifically saving for. A house. A Car. That dream trip to Positano, Italy? When you move money to your savings, move a little to your additional savings account. This way, when you do cash out on the additional savings account for that purchase you’ve been saving for – you won’t feel as broke or remorseful because you spent a ton of cash. You still have your first savings account sitting pretty and untouched.

Source: @herroyallhighness

9. Beef Up Your Social Media Game

Get those feeds together in 2018! Whether it’s business or personal, take some time this year to clean up your social media. Decide on an aestehic you like for your page, whether it be super colorful, monotone, grey and white ( we could keep going) or if you decide to opt out of the feed aesthetics, how about commit to taking more photos to post, or being more specific when you do take photos. Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are our new age photo albums. You know the ones that are stored in your mom’s attic, with all of your baby pictures, and pictures of family outings? One day you will look back on all these photos, so put some effort into it.

10. Listen To A New Podcast ( Slay Girl Slay Has One!)

If you don’t know what a podcast is, then you’ve been living under a rock. There are so many podcast out right now, that cater to any and everything. There are political podcast, storytelling podcast, self help podcast, podcast dedicated specifically to women of color – you can scroll for hours browsing. But did we mention there are podcast dedicated specifically to women of color? Because we have one! We are currently only on iTunes, but check out the Slay Girl Slay podcast! Podcast are great for commutes to work, train/plane/bus rides, bath soaks, and any other quiet time that you may have in life. Find one that suites you and subscribe!