NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2013

I hope you all had a fun (and safe!) New Year's Eve yesterday. I had a low-key dinner with my family before playing board games and watching the ball drop in Times Square on television. I ended the night wrapped up in lots of blankets with a mini Law & Order: SVU marathon. I also took some time to write out my resolutions for the new year. I love the process of deciding what goals I want to achieve in the year that follows, even if I don't end up accomplishing all of them. Like many people, I struggle to keep up with resolutions for longer than a month or two, but I still hold onto the hope that this year will be different and that I will make significant progress with each one. So in keeping with the tradition, here are my resolutions for 2013. I plan to share my monthly progress with each of them this year.

1. Make healthier choices. // In years past, I have written down more specific health-related resolutions, such as "lose 30 pounds" or "go to the gym 5 days a week". It is no surprise that I was never able to keep those resolutions. They never work out well for me. So, I hope that something less specific will challenge me but not make me feel like a failure when I don't see a certain number on the scale. My plan is to make specific changes in my life rather than reach a specific goal. I want to drink more water, eat more greens, eat less sugar and red meat, try going to yoga classes, and put my gym pass to good use.

2. Read twelve non-school-related books. // With the exception of the few books I read last summer, I have really only made time to read books for classes since starting college. It has been difficult for me to justify sitting down and reading for pleasure, something I have always loved, when I have an unfinished assignment hanging over my head. This year, I really want to take the time to read at least one book per month that has nothing to do with my classes. I am planning to start with Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

3. Stick to the "One Little Word" challenge. // It was created by Ali Edwards back in 2007, but I first read about it last summer. It is a challenge I immediately fell in love with and knew I wanted to include in my list of resolutions for 2013. This year, I decided to choose "balance" for my word. The past semester was my most stressful one yet and I have a gut feeling that the next one is going to be even more overwhelming (... and incredible, too). On top of a lot of college-related responsibilities, I also have some health problems that are brought on by stress and I want to maintain strong, healthy relationships with my family and friends. I can't think of a better word than "balance" for the year ahead of me. I know 2013 has the potential to be one of my best yet, but I am going to need to find a way to not only balance my responsibilities but also find balance within myself in order to make this year a great one.

4. Complete a "365 Day" challenge. // This is one of the more challenging resolutions I have on my list, because consistency is not something that I have always been good with. I am better now than I once was, but doing a challenge that requires me to work at it every day is going to be tough. At first, I was certain I wanted to do something related to writing - writing in a journal everyday, perhaps? But I have this complete and utter fascination with photography. I have always loved experimenting with it and learning more about it. So, I have decided to take 365 photos this year. I thought about getting more specific, maybe choosing a certain subject, but I think just taking 365 photos will be enough of a challenge for me. I will be sharing them on Instagram, but I will also be holding on to the originals to edit and share next throughout the year.

5. Learn how to better manage my money. // I have never been great about managing my money. One of the main reasons for that is because I am a big impulse buyer. If I see something I like and think I might use, I usually end up at the cash register with it in my basket. This year, I want to start keeping better track of my finances and making better decisions about how I spend and save money.

6. Complete a "Four Simple Goals" challenge each season. // In the past, the wonderful ladies of A Beautiful Mess have shared four simple goals they want to meet during various seasons (posted here and here). I have always loved those blog posts, so in addition to my resolutions for the year, I am hoping to choose four simple goals to meet each season. I am planning to post my four goals for January and February by the end of this week.

I am so excited to start tackling this (long) list of resolutions. If you post your resolutions on your blog, feel free to share a link to it. I would love to see what you are going to accomplish in 2013.

Cheers to an amazing new year full of possibilities!

SUMMER 2012 MANIFESTO

There is something magical about this time of year. Summer comes around and children emerge from their houses in swimsuits to jump into the pool or run through the sprinklers, trying to beat the heat that is just starting to settle over the city. The scent of sunscreen is heavy in the air as the sun bakes it into their skin. New mothers float around the pool with their babies clinging to their necks as they experience their first summer. Teenagers bury themselves under blankets until the sun goes down and then it's time to sit out on the front lawn with friends, laughing as they take photos that they will later look back on and say were the best times of their lives.

In the past, I have often craved the opposite. I looked forward to the cold weather. I wanted cozy over-sized sweaters, giant cups of hot chocolate, pouring rain, and hours spent watching Netflix in my bed. But even this cold weather-loving girl is not immune to the irresistible lure of the pool water when it sparkles and winks under the sun or the strawberry lemonades that draw me out of the house to the Starbucks across the street on a hot afternoon. This year, unlike years past, I have been craving the warmth of the summer sun. I want wait to dip my feet in the water, to eat popsicles in the backyard, to eat s'mores around a campfire... In fact, I am actually writing this post out by the pool, under the shade of a giant umbrella-covered table as the dogs race around the backyard and jump into the pool once they have thoroughly overheated themselves.

I have finally fallen in love with summer. Diving into the pool because the concrete is too hot and you just can't wait for your skin to soak up all of the sunscreen you lathered on just a few minutes ago. Barbequing in the back yard. Sticking out your tongue after you eat a popsicle to see if it changed colors. Creating the perfect summer playlist for when you are driving in the car, laying by the pool, waking up in the morning, and going to sleep at night. Having movie marathons until the sun comes up. Fireworks and sparklers on the Fourth of July. Exploring new places with your family. Wearing sandals every day. The scent of chlorine on your skin and in your hair after you get out of the pool. Eating giant bowls of fruit after spending the afternoon with the relentless rays of the sun beating down on you. This is what summer is all about and I am planning to enjoy every minute of it.

 

After seeing Elise and Caiti share summer manifestos on their blogs, I was inspired to create and share my own, hence the Instagram collage with the list of things I am going to do and enjoy this summer at the top of this post.

What is on your summer manifesto this year? Feel free to share a link to your list in the comments!

MY BIRTHDAY WISHES

I have seen this idea pop up a few times on some of my favorite blogs and journals over the past couple of years. I thought it seemed like a fun and creative way to set goals for myself, so I'm trying it this year. Maybe making my goal “accomplishing everything on this list by my next birthday” will somehow make everything on it seem more achievable in comparison to when I slap the “New Year’s resolutions” title on it. There is just so much pressure that comes with that. 

I hope you all enjoyed your first week of the new year! :)

Update (March 2014): I accomplished #2, 3, 6, 10, 14, 15, 16, and 18 that year!