New Year's Resolutions
I'm not usually one to make New Year's Resolutions. If I'm not motivated by anything other than another year coming around, I don't tend to stick to the changes I've planned to make. This year, given that I'm just now beginning to feel truly settled in Chicago, my desire to make life adjustments coincides with the New Year.
My first resolution is to blog and journal more. Writing will forever be my favorite medium. Blogging and journaling help me to straighten out my thoughts and prevents me from jumping to conclusions by allowing me to think things through as I write them down. Additionally, my blogging allows me to keep in contact with family and friends that I may not be physically close to anymore.
My second resolution is to be more mindful and mediate. I'm a control freak with a serious anxiety issue. It's a combination that can feel debilitating and I'm tired of letting it rule my life. I'm hoping to learn to properly learn meditate and be more mindful in my every day life. I'm currently attending a 30 minute meditation every Sunday at 12:30 pm.
My third resolution is self-care. Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating food that won't clog my arteries. I've made this resolution simple in open in order to make it more attainable. Often, we are so determined to see specific results that we are discouraged by a perceived lack of progress along the way. By keeping this resolution as one focused on self-care, I can remain free of expectations and focus on gradual results. I do have hopes for this resolution: I hope to fall back in love with fitness as a hobby, take time for myself to relax and read books again, eat fresher foods that make me feel energized, and get more sleep. These physical things translate into happiness in my relationships and at work, and in life in general.
My fourth resolution is branching out. I hope to become involved with the IU Alumni Association to network and make new friends, and reconnect with friends from college. It's easy to spend time all my time with the person I'm dating, and alone with my dog, but as an extrovert that kind of social laziness really makes me blue. It's always after I'm blue that I realize what has brought me down. What is life without people you love?
My fifth and final (and most difficult) resolution is fiscal responsibility. I absolutely hate saving up money. I realize how silly and immature that sounds, but I love to go out and do things and love shopping a bit too much. My goal of this resolution isn't a specific measurable number, but progress. Forcing myself to stick to a specific strict budget doesn't work, and I'm more likely to make progress by actively taking small steps.
And those are my resolutions! I hope they can inspire a few resolutions of your own. 2016 is here whether we are ready for it or not, and I plan to embrace it with open arms and excitement for the future.
Happy New Year!
--B