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I love, love this time of the year.

To me, the New Year is a special time where we let go of all that was, or could have been in the previous year, and set forth anew into the year ahead.

I wanted to share my resolutions with y’all because I LOVE getting ideas on what other people are working on, and frequently get so inspired that I’ll add them to my own goals + resolutions.

I look at resolutions not as rules or strict mandates for life, but as healthy and inspiring things to work towards.

I live for lists, planners, and anything Type A. So obvi, I partake in resolutions. I don’t know why they get so much hate sometimes?? Just remember if you fall off the bandwagon with one of your “resolutions”, you did not fail. You’re just taking a little detour.

This year I went all out, and made a comprehensive lists of some things I wish I had worked on more in the previous year + some fun new goals (like HYGGE! see below) + and some things that I know will help me develop into the woman I’m striving to be.

I hope y’all enjoy and find these amusing/informative/useful — if you see any you like PLZ add them to your own resolutions list! Xx.

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Practice more hygge

If you’re wondering WTF is hygge, you’re not alone. Just a few weeks ago I had no idea what this meant, until I was perusing the aisles of Target and saw a book about it…

Hygge is a Danish concept that means to be cozy and content. A literal definition is hard to procure, but essentially it means to make your home and life cozy, joyful, and peaceful. This trend became really popular in 2016 in the US.

Ways you can practice Hygge:
Candles. Candles. Candles.
Bake.
Have lots of chunky blankets.
Make soup.
Have friends over for dinner.
Stay off your phone in the evenings.
Have twinkle lights in your home.
Drink Tea.
Read.

Take Shadow on more walks

We always take our German Shepherd Shadow on our adventures, but I noticed in the last year I didn’t take her on as many daily walks as I used to. We have a fairly large backyard where she can play and run around, but it doesn’t compare to a good ole’ walk around the neigborhood.

Def gonna work on this.

Eat a more plant based diet

I enjoy meat! But, I find it a pain to cook. Also, it’s no secret that modern farming practices are taking a toll on the environment.

Lately, I’ve become extremely disappointed with the modern agriculture industry and some of the shady practices that go on. In particular, a bizarre phenomenon of ranchers using our public lands to graze their cattle. Commonly known as “welfare ranchers” they are able to use public lands to graze their cattle (on the tax payers dime!). By using our public lands for their cattle, welfare ranchers (and their government allies) pressure the BLM to round up wild mustangs. Other native populations like elk and wolves are also impacted by welfare ranching.

You can read more about this phenomenon HERE.

Lately, if I eat meat it’s responsibly sourced (grass-fed, free-range, LOCAL!). Going into the new year I’m going to make vegetables + plant based foods the centerpiece of my nutrition, with quality meat as a fun occasional compliment.

Am I a flexitarian yet?

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Find a church in San Diego

My Christian faith and relationship with Jesus is so important to me. But with our 3 moves in 3 years + general disillusionment with churches (mega churches, in particular) we haven’t found a church home here.

Finding a spiritually sound, compassionate, financially moral church is one of my priorities this year! If you’re in SD & love your church, please tell me about it!

VOLUNTEER. somewhere. anywhere.

Volunteering is a way for us to pursue fun passions of ours, all while giving back to our communities. If you like hiking, participate in a trail clean up. Love horses? get involved with a therapeutic riding center. Aspiring photographer? Volunteer your services for a local charity. Y’all get the drift!

This has been in the back of my mind for a while… but 2019 is the year I’m going to act on it.

Read MORE.

Reading is everything. This year I’m setting a definitive goal — 1 book every 2 weeks (trying to be realistic lol).

Practice ideas from the KonMari Method

In case you haven’t heard…this is the decluttering ideology currently taking the world by storm. Errrr, it’s actually been taking the world by storm for a while now!

The book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” came out years ago and was wildly popular all across the world. Then just a few days ago Netflix premiered a new show called “Tidying Up” with Marie Kondo, the author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”

The book and show both explain the KonMari Method, a way of tidying, decluttering, and organizing championed and invented by Marie Kondo.

I won’t explain the entire concept here (watch the show!! or read the book 🙂 ) but my takeaway is this: keep possessions that bring you joy, organize according to item and not by room, and get rid of a lot of stuff lol.

I’ve already started this resolution and am currently in day 5 of the KonMari Method. So far I’ve thrown out 7(!) bags of trash, have an entire guest room full of clothes and decor I will be donating, and have had Father Joe’s Village make an at-home pickup of some furniture.

Did you know a lot of charities will come to your home to pickup furniture you’d like to donate?? Amazing. Be sure to include a small donation to the driver, to help them cover the cost of gas for this amazing service!

DRINK MORE WATER.

…this is the year. *sips iced coffee*

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 Less people pleasing, more relentless authenticity

People pleasing is exhausting, inauthentic, and an inhibitor to meaningful, lasting relationships. I think as women, we in particular are groomed to be “people pleasers”.

Of course, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be polite — IMO having manners SO important! But people pleasing is something else entirely. It’s changing our personality, opinions, and behavior to please, or be liked by other people.

About a year ago I was having a conversation with someone in my life, when the conversation started to revolve around a trip, and this person said something like “oh, you could never handle it, it’d be a pretty rough journey with no creature comforts, etc…definitely not for you”. And I remember I was totally shocked, because I live for rough and tough adventures. Had I people-pleased so much, that this person didn’t even know who I really was?

New year, same exact me — the real me 😉

Run a 10k

Ran a 5 mile turkey trot at Thanksgiving. Started smiling uncontrollably around mile 3 (I probably looked like a psychopath…it was creepy). I finished the race and was totally hooked. The energy. The early morning. The feeling of accomplishment. Everything.

This year I plan to push myself by training for and running a 10k! I’m already getting excited.

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Sort paper ASAP

So you know when you bring your mail in and it just sits on your counter for 2 weeks on end and it’s the most annoying thing in the world, cluttering up your beautifully decorated kitchen and totally ruining your aesthetic? (please tell me mail plagues other people too)

Well, this year I’m going to really work on sorting/trashing/filing those pesky papers ASAP.

Okay guys — that’s it! Over the next month I may add another idea or two if it really resonates.

I try to make resolutions less about checking off something of a to-do list, and more about building healthier and better habits.

I hope you guys enjoyed! Let’s make 2019 our best yet. Xx.