2020 - Resolutions... and a Rebrand
2019 has seriously been a wild ride. From graduating with my Masters at age 21, moving a few times, applying and getting rejected from over 100 jobs, and starting a blog, this year has been nothing short of a whirlwind but I’m so glad it has brought me here to the beginning of a new decade. It feels like 2020 is going to be a year full of changes, learning, and growing and I’m so excited to see what it will bring. I reflected on some of my goals from this year and created some resolutions for the coming year and it’s been fun to see where they overlap, what I need to work on, and what new things I’m going to challenge myself to do in 2020.
2020 Resolutions:
Reading 50 books (since I didn’t hit this mark)
Incorporate more zero waste into my life
Donate my time, money, or things at least once a month
Create a real budget and stick to it
Invest in myself
Cultivate lasting and meaningful relationships with people in my community
2019 Resolutions:
Learn that it’s okay to not be a completest
Work out 2-3 times a week
Read 50 books in a year
Buy less coffee - save money!
Cook more food at home
Be more curious and spontaneous
Drink more water
Keep track of mental health
Some goals I didn’t complete or reach, some were brought on by major life changes during the year, and others just seemed fun! I think resolutions are a great way to keep yourself accountable, and if you’ve followed along on my Instagram, you know I love goal setting at the beginning of every month so this is the perfect time to make some major goals.
The Rebrand
When I started creating content for my blog and Instagram back in September of this year, I didn’t exactly know what direction it would head or what my real purpose was. I did do a ton of research on engagement, reach, content creation, and all the things that go into making this into more of a job that aligns with my passions. Now that it’s been a few months, I’ve really honed in my focus and what I want my brand to be about and represent. In 2020, I will be switching over from the “Hey I’m Hayley”/@hayleymccoy16 brand on Instagram and my website to “City of Shay” on both platforms. Shay is my middle name and I feel it describes me and my brand in a more effective way and it is a name I have always wanted to go by. My mission as “City of Shay” is to help people in Indy live more affordably and inspire and empower them through my lifestyle by providing useful content that applies to their daily lives and encourage and emphasize the importance of being aware of and involved in local culture. This is great because it represents my brand and the direction I’ll be focusing on. My brand pillars will be:
Lifestyle - weekend getaways, recipes, beauty
Local Culture - restaurants, bars, events and happenings
Affordability - thrifting, home decor, grocery hauls
These are aspects that define my life and the things I want my brand to be about, and these can be expanded into many different things. I can’t wait for you to follow along at @cityofshay and see all the fun I get into! I am so grateful for where this has taken me and I couldn’t do it without the support and guidance of my friends, family, community, and mentors. This journey in itself has been crazy and I’ve learned so much, and 2020 will bring even more of that. So stick around, ride through this change with me, and don’t worry, I’ll always answer to Hayley.
Photography courtesy of Hope Anne Photography and @joinplug