No Resolution, No Problem.

So, for my first post of the New Year, I decided that I wanted to share a bit about my goals for this year.

I’m that sappy kind of person who always makes a solid resolution list every single time the New Year rolls around. Actually, most of my resolutions I stick to. A few years back, I made a “read a book a week resolution”, and that actually happened. I’ve made personal, professional, and academic resolutions in years past, and stuck to all of them. So, when 2017 rolled around, after some thought, I surprised myself and decided not to make any resolutions whatsoever.

Isn’t that a bit strange, you might think? Well, for me, yes it very much is. While very uncharacteristic, I actually am so excited about this year. I’m jumping into this year without expectations or standards. To be quite honest, I want this year to teach me whatever I’m supposed to learn, not just what I decide on the first day of the year that I need to learn. I’m letting go of the feelings of perfectionism that come alongside those resolutions that I make every year and opening up my life to a little bit more simplicity.

Now, I think goals are amazing and they are something that each and every one of us need in our lives to motivate us towards bigger and better things. This year however, I’m not going to have an overall goal though. Neither do I have a fancy “word of the year” as I’ve chosen in years past (aka “brave” circa 2015 or “spontaneous” circa 2016).

Instead, I’m taking this year one day at a time. If you’ve come to my blog today to find a post about my future resolutions, this isn’t a post all about my goals for the future. While I do most definitely have those, I also want to be clear that this year, I’m wanting to live a bit more simply, and let whatever needs to change me, change me.

I don’t know about you, but after seeing all kinds of lofty New Year’s resolutions scattered about all of my social media, it left me feeling anything but inspired. For some reason, all of these resolutions left me feeling a bit anxious and not good enough. There is so much freedom that comes with just being gentle with yourself, and letting things happen just the way they’re supposed to…

Each and every year, January 1st brings with it an opportunity to start new and fresh. That is what I’m aiming to do, but I sure as heck don’t have everything figured out. So, instead of stressing that I don’t in fact have it all together to start out the new year, I already am feeling much more relaxed due to the fact I haven’t blown my resolution yet.

All this being said, I still am a fan of resolutions and goals, this was just a much needed resolution vacation for me. While I am on this hiatus from lofty resolutions, I still value and understand their importance. It’s just not something I’ll be doing this year.

I’m so grateful for each one of you and how incredible it has been to have you all follow me on my blogging journey. I’m wishing you a wonderful 2017.

Much love,

Olivia