2018 was a great year.
I started writing for Sara (and was able to meet some wonderful business owners and attend some super fun events), I traveled, I met new friends, I became an aunt (to the cutest nephew ever), I finally got a haircut, and (to add a dash of maturity) I achieved some solid professional and personal goals I had set for the year.
Like I said, 2018 was great. But there’s always room for improvement –0 which is exactly what I plan to do for 2019. Let’s go!
Don’t yuck other people’s yums.
It’s come to my attention that Chrissy Teigen recently tweeted this sentiment, but I swear I made this a resolution before I saw the tweet. I actually learned this from a wine tasting. The person guiding the tasting said, “don’t yuck someone else’s yum,” if you don’t like the wine you just tasted — meaning don’t make a face or say “this is terrible!” or “I hate this!” because someone else may really like that wine.
So, while I like wine and plan to still drink wine next year, the actual saying applies to much more. I can be a bit opinionated (or “passionate” as I call it) and stubborn, which can make me a little closed-minded towards others feelings or ideas. Just because someone may like something that I don’t or they may have a different opinion than I do, that doesn’t make them wrong or means I need to rain on their parade. They have the right to feel that way, just as I do.
In 2019, I’m going to work on letting people like what they like and say what they want to say (as long as it’s not too terrible/harmful/offensive, obviously.)
Side note/exception: I will still argue over how amazing the song Call Me Maybe is and I will still always request it anytime I see a DJ. That will never, ever change.
Be kind … to myself.
I like to think I am seen as a kind person to those who know me (hopefully!), but there’s one person I just can’t be nice to — myself.
I harshly critique myself and have a hard time giving myself credit for the work I do or the things I accomplish. At the risk of getting too deep, I’ll admit I constantly struggle with liking how I look.
So in 2019, I hope I can accept – or at least accept them a little more than I already do – all the imperfections and flaws I see with my appearance and learn to love the skin I’m in. I’m going to focus on replacing those negative phrases I say about myself with things I know that I’m good at or compliment my strengths. So instead of saying, “wow, I look gross today!” I’ll replace it with “wow, look at what my body can do! I can run and jump and lift things. I’m amazing!”
It sounds cheesy, but intentionally reframing the negatives can really get the good vibes going. Try it!
Return my library books — and read more.
This will make me sound like a terrible person, but I am notorious for not returning my library books. (I say notorious because I think the library may view me as a criminal. Don’t worry, I pay my fines and cover the costs of the books.)
I just find myself so busy with other things that I forget to stop by the library to drop off the books I checked out. Which I guess is really what this resolution is about: taking time to slow down and set aside time for me.
I’m constantly making plans and running around at 100 mph, leaving me very little time to just relax. I love reading so I want to aim to read one new book a month. I wish I could say these books will be non-fiction, informational, and intellectual, but I’ll be honest and say they will most likely be thrillers and mysteries because when I relax, I want to escape the real world for a little bit.
Hopefully, I can look back on these goals this time next year and feel accomplished — or motivated to keep growing. Isn’t that what resolutions are all about?
