What’s up Blogger Xchange Community? My name is Kayla Zadel and I’m a lifestyle correspondent and blogger with monthly segments on the NBC affiliate in Nashville. I’m also the founder and creative director of KaylaZadel.com – a go-to resource for my segments, as well as all things style, travel and more! I grew up on a farm in Colorado, raising animals and showing them in 4H and FFA. I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Broadcast Journalism degree, and moved to Amarillo, Texas to start my career. Then I moved to Nashville four years ago and love the city! I’ve collaborated with more than 85 brands in the past three years.

My path to blogging wasn’t one that I expected or planned. My background is in broadcast journalism and I spent four years in the industry before I was laid off, along with 40% of the company. While I was looking for my next opportunity, I combined what I learned in the broadcast business and my love for writing to launch my blog and monthly TV segment. Lifestyle, travel and fashion just seemed a perfect fit for me, because I never chased a typical news reporter position. I’ve always wanted to work in entertainment or sports, and my time as a lifestyle reporter in Amarillo, Texas gave me the tools and contacts that I needed to support my blog.

With the New Year upon us, I like to take the time to reflect where I’ve been and make goals for the future. I know some us don’t like to use the world “resolutions” because of the stigma that comes along with it, but I set new sights on the things I would like to achieve or better about myself. I don’t take too long to reflect on the past – bad or good – but I do take some time to remind myself of where I’ve been.

Just because you plan your life out and something doesn’t go the way you want, doesn’t mean that you should give up. Like with my broadcasting career, I took what I knew and just transformed it, morphed it and made it work for me. The world is constantly changing, along with technology, and there’s endless ways to make it work for you. I make blogging work for me because I love to write. I make Youtube videos because I love to produce, film, edit and publish videos. Do I want to get back into TV? Absolutely! I’ve been working on that for three years now! There’s a saying that keeps coming back to me, “If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans.” I believe I’ve made God laugh several times in my life, but I know that I have to trust the process, continue to make goals, achieve them and remind myself to be present during the process. This New Year I encourage you to do the same, but not get discourage when something doesn’t go the way you want, or your post does’t get as many “likes,” etc. Rather try and derive motivation and move forward with the end process. Embrace this new year and focus on your goals and the positive! Go get what’s your this year! Cheers!