While my bed is calling me, I just had to sit down and churn out a resolution related blog post while the new year is still new. There never has been a time in my life where I have not been trying to better myself in some capacity. Blame it on my upbringing or just the fact that I'm a virgo, but either way I am not one to sit back and accept the status quo. I'm a doer, and I feel like I kicked butt this past year, but that doesn't mean it can't get better. So, my resolutions list is going to be quite long and probably a tad bit more personal than you are use to getting from me. This could be a good thing or a bad thing, but here we go.
Resolution #1: Blog more often and with more heart.
This is a pretty general statement, but the truth of the matter is that I never intended to just write a handful of times a month and call it a blog. In my line of work I am with clients 90% of the time, which only leaves me a small window in which to blog. So, when I do sit down to write, I find my mind exhausted and drawing blanks. That was until I realized I was making it a "to-do" instead of a "want-to". I know myself well enough to say that I am not going to be compelled to do something "just because"; There has to be a desire present. While I have enjoyed writing about every topic so far, the surface level aspect of things doesn't work for me.
It dawned on me late last year that perhaps the reason why I was finding myself less personal in my writing was because I felt I had to be. Maybe the pant suit wearing, rule following employee of some corporate company was still hiding somewhere under my current uniform of yoga pants and jersey tees. Those years killed my spirit, though, so I knew I had to make some decisions about how I wanted to grow myself and my business. My conclusion is that my work is essentially an extension of me, and I should be able to write from the heart. I'm hoping that other people will enjoy reading something if I enjoying writing it. This may mean that from time to time I write about something like the best hair removal products, which might include a not so awesome tale about leaving one cream on my upper lip too long reaulting in a mustache shaped red rash. But hey, I was 13 and someone should enjoy the solutions I've found over the years while getting a good laugh. May not be as glamorous as the design posts on expensive rugs or designer lighting, but who says all solutions have to come from Vogue. My life is interesting somethings a lot of the time, and hopefully you benefit from the lessons I've learned along the way.
Resolution #2: Love myself.
Another general statement that very well could have come from the lips of Richard Smalley. I don't think that listing out everything I want to improve about myself in resolution form is the best way to love myself. To me, I would just see it as a list of things that make me not perfect and feel overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, I like myself plenty - just not sure I'd call it love. However, if I expect others to love me how I want to be loved, then it needs to start with me. Over the years, I have let a lot of really toxic people into my life, only to have them get great joy in telling me everything they think if wrong with me. This year I am going to try not to put myself in those situations, or know when to walk away if I do end up on the receiving end of hatefulness. Of course, loving myself also means I am going to try not to throw my hair in a sloppy top knot every single day. Oh, and I'm not starting until Monday. Sure it might already be 2014, but loving myself also means being realistic....and waking up tomorrow looking awesome is not on my agenda quite yet.
Resolution #3: Strengthen the relationships with those I love (and love me back).
First of all, notice I said love me back. That has been a hard concept for me to accept, but sometimes there are people who just don't want to let you in. However, I really am lucky to have plenty of people love me for exactly who I am. I want to call on their birthdays, exchange laughter inducing emails, and send snail mail to them on a regular basis (not like I don't have the fun stationary to do so). I figure that instead of just missing my friends back home, I should tell them how much I love them....and for all the care packages my mom has sent me every single holiday and the numerous sweet letters she mails just to say hello, it is about time she get a few in return. This year is going to be about the people who love me, just as much as it is about me.
Other Resolutions:
Finish the little home projects I started last year.
FINALLY begin writing the book that has been in the works in my head (and random scratch paper) for the past few years. This gets me pretty excited just thinking about it, so expect something good to come of this.
Plan a trip somewhere fabulous and foreign (looking like Australia thanks to a friend's recent job change).
Get plans drafted for my house's add-on. This project may be a good five or so years down the road, but this dream is going to happen.
Read more books.
Take more pictures with friends...less of skies, food and stuff.
Well, there you have it - 2014 resolutions in a not so brief outline....can't wait to see where I will be this time next year. What about your resolutions? Are they all new or continuations of a previous year?
Cheers to a productive, happy, prosperous new year - I have a feeling this is going to be the best yet!
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