A Fresh Start

"And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been" 

                                                   --Rainer Maria Rilke 

New Years is always a bittersweet ocassion for me. I get nostalgic about the year gone by (and also how fast we got over Christmas), but also excited and hopeful for a fresh start and what is to come. Another chance to start over, to do things differently, to get another go at it. I'm feeling very optimistic about this New Years in particular. I'm not very big on making resolutions. If I ever did in the past, they were just vague goals that I'd like to do but usually ended up forgetting about come February. This year, I couldn't stop coming up with things I wanted to do and work towards. Of course I have the usual ones like exercise more and cut out sugar but here are a few of the other ones I'm going to strive towards during the next 365 days:

-Read more fiction. I read 12 books in 2017, and only one of them was fiction. I'm not sure when I moved towards reading non-fiction, memoirs, and self-help exclusively, but a part of me yearns to read a good story.

-Cut back on screen time. I don't know how many things I've read and listened to that say the same thing--excessive phone usage (especially social media) is so detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. They say the sweet spot is around 2 hours a day, so that's what I'm aiming for, and hopefully gradually get it down to even less.

-Take more photos. I really do love photography, but I just don't do it nearly as often I'd like. I want to make time to go out and get creative.

-Go through my anxiety program again. It helped me so much the first time I did it, and it really wouldn't hurt to freshen up on the skills it teaches. A peaceful mind and a calm body is the foundation for living an abundant life, and I could use all the help I can get.

-And finally, to write more and do more outfit posts. To give more attention to this little space of mine that I've carved out for myself. Even if nobody reads or sees it, to do it for my own creative outlet and satisfaction.

I really want to focus on growth and a change of mindset this next year. To discover and learn. To find beauty and to share it. I can’t wait for all the new things I’ll get to experience: new movies, new songs, new books, new people, new memories and new chances. What are your resolutions for the new year?