2014. Here we go!

I've spent a solid part of this past week thinking about the new year and what I want (and need) for myself. What are my hopes for the year? My dreams? My fears? What relationships do I want to carry with me into this new year? What relationships do I want to strengthen? let go of? make peace with? A lot to wrestle with and reflect on. 

So here we go, my goals for 2014 to help me "go forth and set the world on fire."

Read more. I'd like to try and read one novel per month. May seem like an easy feat for most but I always take the easy way out opting for TV over reading. Hopefully I can find a better balance between the two.

Take a vacation (or two). No, it doesn't have to be as life changing as my trip to Thailand but I'd like to do something more than just visit a friend in a city they live in. Relax on the beach, jump in a lake, enjoy a sunset over the mountains, that sort of thing!

Lean into the discomfort. This covers a multitude of things from trying new experiences and branching out and expanding my friend network to getting back into the dating game. I know that I'm ready for love and ready to find my partner in life. And my hope is I'll be ready to re-enter that world in due time. 

Maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. Other than just working out regularly at the gym, my goal for 2014 is to spice up my routine with swimming and biking. I'd also like to focus more on cooking more often and eating out less. And learning to cook some new meals to give me more options.

Make peace with what is. I ended 2013 frustrated, hurt, and upset with a lot of things that are beyond my control. Things I wished were different. Relationships that weren't measuring up. So my hope for 2014 is to learn to accept what is and be at peace. Focus on what I can control, spend time on the relationships that matter most, and let the rest roll off my shoulders.

Unplug (somewhat) from social media. I didn't realize until during Christmas break that I spend WAY too much time checking Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Then five minutes later, rinse and repeat. I check it every morning, every night, and usually about 50 other times throughout the day. Excessive, right? Too much! So in this new year my goal is to limit myself. I don't have a set number in mind but the hope is the more I focus that energy in other ways, the less time I'll spend seeing what everyone else is up to.

So there we go. No professional goals for 2014 though I imagine some of those may emerge throughout the year. For now, I'm more focused on the personal side of the house. Wishing you and yours all the best in this new year!

Cheers.