...ya know, until this year. ;)
Perhaps it's because so much change has happened in the previous year that this one feels like a genuinely blank slate. I feel incredibly aware of where I am and where I want to be, and a year's length of time to complete my desired goals feels reasonable and achievable. Who knows? All I know is that I am consciously grabbing this year by the horns and being purposeful in my time.
I received a ton of positive feedback on my post about self-care, just a few posts below this one. It was intended to be a fun one for me, a creative way to write down and organize my personal ideas, but it turned into a wonderful conversation piece with friends who had never invested much thought into caring about themselves well in certain ways. New Years Resolutions are less unique in nature, and a few I'll list here are pretty standard for Resolutioners, but I sense that writing them on a public platform could give them life in ways I can't expect. So here we go!
Exercise: Moving Well
We were designed to move and to rest, both fueling our desire for the other. Adjusting to Nashville's geography and weather has left me with the recent realization that there's little local hiking available (my favorite kind of exercise) and very little inspiration to do anything outside when the weather is extreme. This has led to wayyyyyy more resting than moving on my part. I haven't changed in clothing size, but I can tell on several levels that my health is less than acceptable because of this stagnancy. My circulation, digestion, energy level, nerve functioning, skin complexion, and plenty of other aspects of my body have tanked in the last year due to inconsistent or nonexistent exercise. So here comes a gym membership and some running shoes. That elliptical has no idea what it's in for.
Clean Foods, More Water: Consuming Well
See reasoning above for improving on this. It's the only surefire way I won't have an angry stomach after a meal, and clean eating will help my body get back on track with regaining some self-sufficient functioning. Sounds like a nice thing to have, right? And along with all this is a sensitivity to dehydration, which can easily be avoided if I commit to the majority of my beverages being water or water-based, like tea. Lime (or lemon) water with a drop of peppermint oil is a wonderful way to keep your digestive tract calm and clean; I plan on making a pitcher of it to keep in the fridge to be my drinking water. Yes puhlease.
Skin and Hair: Going Natural Well
Have I ever mentioned my go-to beauty inspiration is Clemence Poesy? Whether she's au natural or done up for an event, she radiates. I'm particularly inspired by her underdone look, with air-dried hair and little to no makeup. I don't see myself completely giving up any particular beauty product, since there's always an occassion that calls for some glamour. But this year I want to give my hair a rest from the terrible unwise coloring I put it through this year, bringing it to an inch of its life. Little to no heat, letting it naturally dry and fall where it feels like falling. A common comment I've heard about American women is that they seem to seek perfection. "I feel sorry for them, it must be exhausting" a French editor said in an article. An ongiong goal of mine has been no more perfection-seeking, only letting my natural features shine. I'm sure the exercise and eating well mentioned above will work in my favor in this department.
Capsule Closet: Wearing Well
A capsule wardrobe is a 40-and-under-piece wardrobe for either a season or for forever. Anywhere I've read about women who try it out absolutely love it, and feel like it is liberating rather than restraining. Imagine...being aware of every piece of clothing available to you in a given morning as you dress? And the ability to throw any of it on in any combination and have it look cohesive and even spectacular? I'm actually pretty darn close to this thanks to moving across the country in my Honda; I probably dumped 70% of the clothing I owned in the moving process, and I don't miss a single piece. Everything I own now is less than a year old and something I'd wear any day/anywhere. But that was coincidental, and I want to be more intentional about my shopping. I want to hone in on what I own, what I would like to have, and ONLY purchase those items. Thankfully the minimalist look is in, just in time for my graduate student budget. :P
Pay Off Non-School-Related Debt: Spending Well
Oh hey! Speaking of budgets! This is a big one for me, thanks to new city transitions leaning on a credit card and some medical bills. I am entering into my first significant debt experience, and I am determined to keep my head above water. I didn't grow up with direct instruction on how to manage money; my parents were raised to not share that information even with your own kids. So I am starting from scratch and am terrified. Thankfully, I have friends and resources available to me for support and planning. Deep breaths and baby steps. Deep breaths and baby steps.
Discover Music on Purpose: Listening Well
I've generally been lousy at this. I know what I like when I hear it, but getting me to hear it can be the tricky part. I'm not one to adventure into music finding; I'm usually blessed with friends much more seasoned in the hunt who share their finds with me. But now I'm in Nashville, and music is on every corner. Plus what I used to listen to sounds younger and younger by the day, urging me to find some new tunes asap. The right sound at the right moment means everything. I want to take charge of my sounds.
Paint More, Write More, Breathe More: Expressing Well
I've talked about how painting is an important outlet for me; naturally I've let it slip through my fingers. Not enough time, not enough space, not enough natural light, not enough natural inspiration. But even if painting isn't a probable prospect in a day's time, I can journal. I can read. I can drive to the woods for some air. I can find a self-fulfilling hobby for my sanity, rather than getting restless and moody. Nobody likes the moody human in the room.
Live with the Mighty: Communing Well
"Associate with the noblest people you can find, and live with the mighty." That quote by Thomas Davidson has been my mantra since moving to Nashville. Just like with music, I usually find one solid human and enter into their group of friends without a second thought. If they set up a barbeque, I may go. If they go see a movie, sure I'll join. This can be wonderful, but this can also lead to a passive apathy about really investing in friendships and being seen. I can convince myself to fly under the radar way easier if I am hanging around people I don't care to do life with. My best life chapters are the ones intimately connected to others' chapters. I hope to seek out "my people" more intentionally from here on out. Me setting up coffee dates, me hosting dinner, me being the one to share my heart first. No more half-hearted noodling into circles.
Verbalize My Heart As Much As My Brain: Being Vulnerable Well
This one is pretty straightforward. I tend to be more open about the analytic and logical thoughts that run through my conscious, and less open about my heart. Sometimes there are special humans who seem to sense my heart in the midst of the information, but sometimes it takes some direct communication for my heart to be known. "It seems like things are this way and that way" turns into "I'm hurt. This is heavy and hard. You make me happy. I feel so light and free."
That's all for now. These all stem from an overarching desire to be intentional with my choices and my heart, avoiding a mindless drift into a habit, whether it's as simple as eating or complex as communicating. It all comes from a desire to do 2015 well, and see if by December these goals have become an afterthought and second nature.
I am living an incredible life, and a strange thing happens when things are going well...I stop being intentional. I don't feel the push, I don't feel the hunger for growth or change. This year is about pushing even when it's comfortable, and growing even when it's a harvest.
Happy (Belated) New Year, everyone. May 2015 be ever in your favor.
