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Friday, January 1, 2016

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

Hello, hello! And HAPPY 2016! I read a tweet today that said we are the same amount of time away from 2024 than we are from 2008, and I won't lie and say that it didn't stop me in my tracks for a second. In 2008, I was a junior in high school. And in 2024, I'm going to be on the edge of my 32nd year. So, there's that. But we won't get too ahead of ourselves, and we'll simply focus on the year ahead of us, shall we?





So, I'm not too big on New Year's Resolutions. Because you work really hard on them for all of two weeks, and then you get busy with other things, leave them in the dust, and come the end of the year, you're left feeling bad about all of the things you didn't do. Did I attend at least one yoga class a month? Nope. I sure didn't. But you know what? That's okay. It doesn't mean I'm a failure, rather, it means that I can always continue to improve. Which is why I'm going to present to you my list of 2016 goals. I am a very goal-oriented person (as I am sure you guys have figured out by now), and I like that goals are something I can continue to work on until I actually achieve them. Some of these are tangible goals, while others of these are more big picture items. And they can be achieved via many different means.

So, without further ado, I present to you guys my 2016 goals, with a short blurb about each:
  • Keep my room organized
    • I work so much better in a clean space.
  • Make my bed each day
    • Shout out to Admiral William McRaven for this one.
  • Run 1,000 miles
    • Thanks, Mr. Avis for never letting me rest on my running laurels. I'm never one to back down from a challenge. And on that note, be my friend on Daily Mile!
  • Visit a new-to-me place
    • This one's already starting to come together, and it's coming to the blog sooner rather than later. Let me just say that it's a good one!
  • Cook a new-to-me dish
    • All I have to check Pinterest for this one. Maybe I'll get creative and shy away from my usual meat and vegetables dish.
  • Try a new-to-me exercise class
    • The possibilities are literally endless for this one. I would love to take some sort of dance class, because I have taken exactly one dance class in my 23 years of life, but hey, we'll see what materializes. 
  • Make stretching a priority
    • Okay, so maybe I won't be a regular at Black Swan Yoga, but I can certainly be more conscious of how often I stretch and foam roll.
  • Read 25 books
    • I'm not sure exactly how many books I read this year - probably between 20 and 25 - but I want to make reading during the school year more of a priority.
  • Write two letters a month
    • It is no secret that I love handwritten notes and letters. Absolutely love them. So, I am going to make it a goal to put at least two letters per month in the mailbox. Because I know it will make that person's day.
  • Keep a 2016 memory jar
    • This is something I pinned YEARS ago. And this year, I'm actually going to do it. At the end of each day, I will take one slip of paper and write down one thing I want to remember about that day. And maybe some days it will be the fact that I made it to work. But I already can't wait to open up that jar on the eve of 2017.
  • Learn how to and establish a budget
    • I am not entirely sure how to begin with this one, but it's definitely something that needs to happen. Because impulse Anthropologie trips can't last forever. Here's to adulting.
  • Choose joy
    • This is probably my biggest goal. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Every day may not be great, but there is something great to be found in every day. And I want to harp on the good rather than the bad.
  • Try 10 new Houston restaurants
    • Instead of going to Hungry's every time my stomach growls, I'm going to make an attempt to go to at LEAST 10 new-to-me restaurants. Houston's restaurant scene is HOPPIN', and this foodie just can't be on the outside.
Mod Pizza
The Dunlavy
  • Be less judgmental
    • While I am not consciously judgmental of others, I most definitely am. Just because someone is different than I am, doesn't make that person wrong. At all. I really realized that this past year, and I'm continuing to realize it.
  • Spend less time on social media
    • Yeah, yeah. The usual. Much easier said than done. But if I added up how many hours I wasted on social media (58 weeks deep, anyone?), I would be ashamed of myself.
  • Be grateful
    • Too much of my time is spent complaining. And yes, there is a time and a place for letting off steam, but instead of complaining about how hot my classroom is, shouldn't I be grateful to even have a classroom? Yes. Yes I should.
  • Do something I've never done before
    • The possibilities are literally endless with this one, and hopefully I cross this one off more than once!
  • Study Spanish
    • Could this one possibly be related to "visit a new-to-me place"? Stay tuned!
  • Get out of my comfort zone
    • This introvert is perfectly happy sitting at home on her couch with a book, a blanket, and a beagle. And some nights, that's all I can handle. But then there are times when getting out of my comfort zone is a very good thing. This happened today, in fact. So, here's to learning to love the uncomfortable. Besides, isn't that where the growth happens?
  • See 10 movies in theaters
    • I'm horrible at seeing movies in theaters. HORRIBLE. I probably saw four movies in theaters this past year, and there were definitely more than four movies that I wanted to see. Sometimes, it's okay to treat yourself. And this year I'm going to do just that.
  • Play more volleyball
    • I'm excited about this one. And while I'm not entirely sure what this one will look like, I look so forward to playing more of my favorite sport.
  • Live in the moment
    • I'm pretty bad at this. And I often regret that. My Type A personality is to blame. So, instead of looking ahead to the next item on my list, I am going to focus on enjoying the exact moment I'm in.
  • Join a small group
    • One of the things I miss most about college is the community. And I've finally found a church that I really like here in Houston, so it's time to take that next step and get plugged in.
The Austin YoungLife community is something special
  • Volunteer
    • I've actually already taken the first steps to volunteer with an organization that is very near and dear to my heart. Let's hope I can get it off the ground within these next couple of weeks!
  • Be kind
    • This is another one of those big picture goals. I found myself with my foot in my mouth a few too many times this last year, so this year, I'm going to focus on being the "Kind Kelli" I always introduced myself as on the first day of school.
And you know I'll be documenting (as much as I can!) every step of the way. And with that, I'm off to walk the pup. It's been a cold, rainy start to the new year, but despite the actual weather outside, the new year is looking bright. Cheers!

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