2018 Goals

Happy New Year!

Every January I like to reflect back and think of all the things I did or didn’t accomplish in the previous year and set new goals for the new year.

My New Year’s resolutions always begin with go to the gym, eat healthy, lose weight, etc. etc. etc. but those are boring (necessary, though).

This year, I’m thinking about the details.

What is going to make me happy? What is going to help me be more mindful? What will make a difference to others? What is going to make me a more well rounded person? What will keep me healthy physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally?

From these thoughts came my very first list of the year (which by the way, I LOVE doing) – my 2018 goals!

START EACH DAY WITH GOD

I find myself going through the day worried and stressed. My mom sometimes has to stop me and say, “Have you prayed?” And no, I usually haven’t. So rather than going through the day lost and distressed, I want to make it a point to start every day with God. Whether it be through reading the Bible, praying or doing a devotional – my goal is to wake up and commence the day with God.

LISTEN TO A NEW ALBUM A WEEK

We live in a day of singles – albums are becoming less and less of a thing and it’s upsetting. Artists spend months, even years creating the perfect 13 – 15 track list where each song is strategically created, named and placed within that list and we (myself 100% included), don’t take the time to really listen to an album. So this year, I will listen to a new album every week . It will be a variety of genres and a mix of artists. Throughout the weeks, I’ll keep track of who I’ve listened to, what my favorite song is and my favorite lyric. Recommendations are welcomed!

DONATE MY HAIR

Long hair has always been my thing. I have never had the courage to commit and completely chop my hair. Though I have come close to the donation line, I’ve never done the drastic cut. So this year, I’m letting go of this ridiculous “short hair” fear and donating all of my hair. Someone needs it more than I do and let’s get real, it’s JUST hair. It grows.

SEND THANK YOU CARDS

A “thank you” in person is nice but have you ever felt that happiness that comes with opening a HANDWRITTEN thank you note?? It’s like no other. Plus, I have HUNDREDS of thank you cards that I have bought throughout my life that have been tucked away in the box of cards. Wiping off the dust and putting the pretty pens to work.

READ A BOOK A MONTH

I MISS that feeling of being completely captivated by a story – the magical power that words have to transport you to another time and place is unreal. I remember in high school, my friends and I would race to see who could finish a book first so we could all eventually sit together and gush about the main character and how much of a badass she was or about how he was that dark, mysterious man we all secretly needed in our lives.  The books were corny and there was typically a beautiful, happy ending but those books stimulated my creativity and helped me become a better writer. We would read about four or five books a month without a problem. This past year I found myself struggling to just read one. Not acceptable. So this challenge is really to bring the giddy, high school Becky back to life.

VISIT A NEW COUNTRY

Traveling has always been my number one. I love exploring a new place and it’s culture. I had this same goal last year and thankfully, I achieved it – I went to Colombia for the first time in November and it was wonderful. This year, I plan to do the same.

GET OFF SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER 8PM

Social media is great, don’t get me wrong, but too much of a good thing isn’t always well, good. I have a horrible habit of mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook late at night. It could be 1AM and I’m still browsing through the same posts I saw earlier in the day. Unnecessary and draining. I was losing precious sleep time over this! Getting off social media after 8PM is a challenge but it’s a mini daily cleanse that I need. Since I often lose track of the time, I have an alarm set for every day at 7:55PM that says “GET OFF!” It gives me five more minutes to chismear and then log off until the next day.

BUY CLOTHES THEN DONATE

Here’s a confession – I’m a shopaholic. But hey, it’s not easy to control the problem when the Zara that is two minutes walking distance from your job is having their semi-annual sale. To keep my life and closet more organized and contribute a little bit to society, my goal is to donate an article of clothing for every new purchase.

STICK TO A SKINCARE ROUTINE

Skincare products are expensive and putting them on every morning and night is time consuming but hey, it’s my face and the long term goal is to look 40 when I am actually 83. Am I right ladies? So yes, I will be losing some morning sleep and staying up a little later trying to get this face in check but eventually it will be worth it.

GO TO A LIVE SHOW EVERY MONTH

Nothing makes me happier than watching a live performance. Whether it be a concert, a symphony, a ballet or a musical, there is something so beautiful about being present and experiencing the energy that bounces off of every corner and every person in the room. It’s an hour or two of pure bliss and let’s get real, we need that more in our lives.

TAKE A VIDEO A DAY

At the end of 2017, I wanted to make a recap video of the year and was disappointed to see the lack of videos in my camera roll – it was a year of pure Boomerangs. So each day this year, I will be taking a video a day to eventually recap 2018 in all its glory. Stay tuned.

Hopefully this gets you inspired to make some changes and set new goals.

x,

P.s.

Every four months, I will be giving an update as to how these goals are doing!

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