• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • Bread
  • Cookies
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans

The Best of Intentions for 2015

January 2, 2015 by Joy the Baker 86 Comments

New Year

[C]an I tell you one of my personal truths?  The new year… the box marked January 1st on my calendar, makes me all sorts of nervous.  

The Internet would have you believe that everyone is full of glee, rainbows, hope, excitement, possibility and plans.  It’s fantastic, right?  Unless you don’t exactly feel that way… unless you’re a little nervous like me.  Now, it’s not that I’m not tremendously hopeful and excited, but the vastness (glory be!) of the 364 days ahead sometimes feels paralyzing with possibility.  

Do I sound like I’m complaining?  I’m not.  Do I sound like I might have a scatterbrain?  I do.  Do I sound like I don’t know where to place my feet as I step into this year?  Pretty true.  So far I’m thinking one foot in front of the other is the best (and only) way to go.    

What are your resolute intentions for the new year?  Do you have a few?  Have you written them down on your bathroom mirror in lipstick?  Tell me how you’re working this new year!  

Here are some things, large and small, I’m thinking about for 2015:  

•  Dear Joy,  turn off your cell phone.  Seriously, what would happen if didn’t check your phone when your dinner companion gets up to use the restroom?  The world would end, right?  Well… let’s try anyway.

•  Social media anxiety is sooo 2013.  Whether it’s a fear of missing out or a fear of participating… none of it is actually real, so just calm down and maybe try turning off your phone.  

•  There’s always room to make your kitchen life better.  And I think it’s time for a new kitchen skill.  I’m thinking I’d like to be a chocolate master.  Is that a thing?  It’s about to be. 

•  I speak Spanish and Italian.  The only problem is that I speak both at the same time in the same sentence.  Helpful to no one, ever.  This year maybe I brush up on my Spanish and kick the random Italian out of my Spanish sentences.  

•  New rule:  Two drink max then walk your butt home and turn off your phone.

 •  Charitable resolutions like Be The Match or Compassion International are always in my year.  

•  There are all sorts of year-long projects to get involved in at the start of the year.  My favorites are:  Journal52 (prompts for the 52 weeks of the year… like brain food!).  A self-portrait a day with The Everyday App. And journaling with technology using DayOne App. 

•  When in doubt, when excited, when curious, when hungry for all the things:  GUT CHECK.  Our guts know. 

•  Have some fun.  Have some dang fun!  GEEZ.  

Happy New Year.  I love you.  

xo Joy

 

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Beyond the Kitchen

Previous Post: « All The Citrus and Some Of The Greens Salad
Next Post: Magic Mineral Broth »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Margaret Brown

    August 28, 2015 at 8:30 am

    I appreciate your references to other websites. I just celebrated my birthday recently…. a good time to get started on JOURNAL 52, instead of the traditional Jan-Dec routine!!!

    Reply
  2. Mary

    April 8, 2015 at 7:25 pm

    Just found you. Thank you for personal truth. Refresing.

    Reply
  3. Annie

    February 7, 2015 at 9:29 am

    I know I am a little late to the party on providing a comment but like the New Year it’s just a date -right? Joy I know His eye is on the sparrow and it’s on you too. He will direct your paths as you acknowledge Him in all your ways. You will continue to be joy to Him and to us. Gosh -there’s a lot of potential and goodness wrapped up in your name. I am going to try that honey bread too and a lot of your other recipes. I love your style and honesty in so many ways. God bless you. Bless means “empower to prosper”.

    Reply
  4. Ofelia, from Mexico City

    January 16, 2015 at 5:25 pm

    Hey, do you speak spanish! Fantástico. Lets talk to spanish right now. Me encanta la idea. Y estoy de acuerdo en que un año nuevo por delante puede resultar aterrador a veces cuando, de pronto, no estás tan segura de hacia donde te diriges. I know that feeling. I have been there. Entiendo tus sentimientos. So, quiero decirte que me encantan tus recetas y que he tratado de prepararlas en mi cocina, con estupendos resultados… JA! Aunque no suelo hacer comentarios, procuro leer tus post tan pronto los publicas y me encantan… Feliz Año!

    Reply
  5. Synne

    January 6, 2015 at 2:01 am

    This is lovely, Joy! Happy new year! I wish you all the best for 2015 – may it be everything you hope for. You are amazing.

    Reply
« Older Comments
Comments Page 6 of 6
« Previous 1 … 4 5 6

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Beyond the Kitchen

My Top 10 Peanut Butter Recipes

I haven’t felt like making meals at all this week.  I don’t even seem to have the energy to cobble together my usual lazy stand-bys: scrambled eggs and a carb, toasted.  Strangely, I’m also not allowing myself to order any expensive (and everything is expensive right now) takeout so… well, I’ll be eating bananas smeared…

Read More

stack of books for the best nonfictions books to read in 2022
The Best Nonfiction Books for Summer 2022

One of my cushiest jobs of all time was being a reader for the Hallmark Channel. Every week, I’d drive down the 101 to the Valley to pick up a stack of books to review. The stories came in waves depending on what themes the producers were interested in, ranging from autism to cancer, and—of…

Read More

Abby at a table at Alma
New Orleans By Way of Chicago

Have you ever been someplace your soul immediately responded to? That’s Chicago for me. Not everyone understands it and I genuinely like it that way. Chicago isn’t for everyone. It’s where my roots are, where my grandparents rest peacefully. The food in Chicago is the best in the world to me, and I will argue…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Joy the baker with dyed bandana around neck

HOW TO MAKE DYED BANDANAS

as seen in JtB Magazine!

joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

FAVORITE FRUIT RECIPES

fresh baked blueberry cobbler on a plate with vanilla ice cream on top.

The Secrets To My Favorite Blueberry Cobbler

Strawberry pie filling inside of unbaked crust with crumble top.

My Best Strawberry Crumble Pie Recipe

A slice of lemon blueberry gooey butter cake held on a cake slicer.

Lemon Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake

POPULAR CAKES

A slice of lemon blueberry gooey butter cake held on a cake slicer.

Lemon Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake

Slice of Chocolate Guinness Cake on a small pink plate

Chocolate Guinness Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Sliced and plated funfetti cake slices.

Funfetti Birthday Bundt Cake

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

I’m calling it, friends. IT’S SUMMER and to ce I’m calling it, friends. IT’S SUMMER and to celebrate you’re going to need the latest issue of Joy the Baker Magazine. ⁣
⁣
This issue is packed with road-trip inspiration, summer’s best burgers, backyard margaritas, no-churn ice cream and cakes that bake without an oven. ⁣
⁣
We get crafty, we get campy, there’s so much ice dye… this one’s more than food - it’s our summer bucket list in magazine form. ⁣
⁣
Pick up your copy wherever magazines are sold across the US and Canada or buy a copy online using the link in my profile. ⁣(🙌 free shipping!) 
⁣
Also, look at this cover shot by @emferretti! The whole magazine is that mouthwatering. 👏☀️🍓
I spent part of this fine weekend cleaning this ve I spent part of this fine weekend cleaning this very hardworking pantry. It’ll never be rainbow organized or picture perfect but I’ll tell ya, a few sets of @rubbermaid containers, @ballcanning jars and brown packing tape with a @sharpie marker make this a high functioning space for recipe testing and life living. 
⁣
Swipe to see my supervisor 🦁 inspecting my work. ⁣
⁣
#organized #pantryorganization #joythebaker #weekendwork
Not gonna lie, peanut butter was my main food grou Not gonna lie, peanut butter was my main food group this week - either smeared on fruit or baked as cookies. ⁣
⁣
If you feel me on this, my top 10 peanut butter recipes will serve you well. 👏 Find the link in the bio, like we do. ⁣
⁣
#peanutbutter #cookies #cobbler #joythebaker
I either need a pep talk or chocolate cake though I either need a pep talk or chocolate cake though I think I actually need both - stat.⁣
⁣
This particular cake is gluten and dairy free though you’d never know it based on its tender chocolate crumb and swoopy coconut based frosting. ⁣
⁣
I’ll leave the 🍫 recipe linked in the bio. Please leave any pep talk thoughts in the comments below (lol I’m not even kidding). xo
Mmkay you can take one pie and one sweater to the Mmkay you can take one pie and one sweater to the deserted island. I suppose I’m set! 🤪
⁣
My Very Best 🍓 🍓 Crumble Pie recipe linked in the profile and the sweater is an old gem from Forever21 and sure it’s getting a little tighter every year it’s weird how sweaters shrink sitting in drawers waiting for strawberry season. ⁣
⁣
#strawberrypie #joythebaker #mothersday #bakedfromscratch
In this week’s Sunday post I talk about learning In this week’s Sunday post I talk about learning how to ride a motorcycle, making my summer bucket list dreams come true, and easing out that clutch. ⁣
⁣
Am I roadworthy? Not quite yet, but I am super proud of myself. ⁣
⁣
Your Sunday reads, linked in the profile.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up