18 Resolution Ideas for 2018 (& 17 Things 2017 Taught Me)

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New Year's is such a beautiful time.  Not only does it provide some celebration after Christmas, but the general attitude of New Year's is one of hope.  It's a time to look back at the past year, and look into the future with hopes and resolutions for the new year.  

 I love the general spirit of this holiday.  As I look back at the good and bad of 2017, and make resolutions for 2017, I'd like to share with you all:

Review of 2017:

Biggest Events:

  • Solar Eclipse
  • Ed Sheeran Divide Tour
  • Florida Trip
  • I started anxiety medicine 
  • Ohio Trip
  • Mu Gamma Gamma competition
  • Finally got bangs and a perm
  • Matching tattoos with my best friend Madison
  • Women have started to speak up, and the #MeToo movement
  • My grandma turned 95, and she still thinks I train dogs for a living
  • I got another ear piercing and the cross tattoo I wanted
  • Brynn took us to a haunted trail
  • I saw RHCP
  • I gave up social media for Lent (& it went really well!)
  • I turned the big 2-0
  • I started vlogging
  • & I started this blog! 

17 Things I learned in 2017:

  1. It is perfectly okay to be 20 (or 60) and not have a set plan for my life.  Most people don't, and it is FINE. Just enjoy where you're at right now.
  2. I don't have to always apologize.  It's okay to be me and not apologize for who I am, what I love to do, and my beliefs.
  3. It's okay to be the "grandma" of the group that uses a planner.
  4. You don't HAVE to drink to have fun. (Proof: I don't drink and I've had a great year.)
  5. Scheduling in time to just watch TV is a good way to relax.
  6. The Office is a good show.  It only took me 5 years to push through the pilot and season 1, but that was worth it.
  7. I was tiny in high school.  It's okay that I'm not tiny anymore.
  8. It's okay to say no.  If I don't actually want to go to the party, staying inside and watching Law and Order is just fine. 
  9. I've become much more confident as a woman this year.  Female friendships are important.  Women's health is important.  #MeToo is important.  
  10. The word "hope" is my favorite word.  There are things to look forward to, always.  
  11. Saying 3 positive things every day turned me from a depressed, suicidal teen to a healthy (well, mentally), happy 20 year old.  
  12. Laughter is the best medicine.  Seriously. ("Throw those pills away, Stanley.") 
  13. If you try to limit your calorie intake, you'll just blow your diet.  It's okay to treat yo self with good foods.
  14. "Treat yo self 2017" was the best prediction Parks and Rec could have made.  Go get that haircut, go buy those jeans, go get that tattoo, and go get that piercing.  Though my tattoos are relatively impulsive and unplanned, I have wanted my three tattoos I have my whole life, and I'm planning on getting more.  
  15. Lounging on a hammock is AWESOME. 
  16. You don't have to be good at a hobby to enjoy it.  My paintings and photographs keep improving, but they're still pretty bad.  Does that really matter? Nope.  It's just for fun.  
  17. I love writing and trying new things.  New is now a good word to me, and it's no longer terrifying.  

Resolutions for 2018

Being me, I have 4 pages full of resolutions and specific goals for 2018.  I will just share some of these that I think are good general resolutions for the new year!

18 Good Resolutions for 2018:

  1.  Work out.
  2.  Try to save as much of my paycheck as possible.
  3.  Set up recycling bins and use them. 
  4.  Donate items you don't use (in the Omaha area: the Sienna Francis House is always a good place to donate).
  5. Read at least 1 book each month.
  6. Take vitamins.
  7. Try something new each week/month.
  8. Spend time outside.
  9. Drink more water.  
  10. Get on the bone marrow transplant registry (https://www.giftoflife.org/page/content/donorresources).  
  11. Do random acts of kindness.
  12. Reduce caffeine intake.
  13. Follow a planned budget: write it out and follow it.
  14. Keep a jar of loose change (2 years ago, I saved over $200 in loose change)!
  15. Vote in elections.
  16. Watch documentaries and TED talks to learn about topics you don't know much about.
  17. Make more phone calls and spend less time staring at the screen.
  18. Use a calendar. 
Make sure to turn these resolutions into measurable goals!  It's hard to say that you drank "more" water this year, but it's easier to tell whether or not you drank 8 glasses of water a day.  For example:
  1. Instead of just "Work out," I say: get a 30+ minute work out in at least 5 days each week.  (This could be just taking a walk!)
  2. For me, I'm going to try to save at least 20% of my paycheck each month. 
ETC.  


Happy new year to you all!  While you're reading this - if you're in an area with a LOW temperature and wind chill forecast, please, STAY SAFE!  Do not go out drinking and end up freezing to death (literally) outside.  Stay inside, bundle up, and have fun!  

See you in the new year! 

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