My Four 2015 Resolutions

By the title of my post, you probably think I'm stuck in January.  I know it is already March, but it took me a few months to get focused and inspired for what I want to accomplish this year.  Personally, I don't like the rigidity of having to have it all figured out on the first day of the year.  I'm a firm believer that it's never too late to set new goals for yourself or refocus your energy in to other endeavors.  (Sidenote- this is probably why it took me two undergrad degrees and 24 years of soul-searching to figure out what I wanted to do!)

1.) Read a new book each month

For you avid book readers, this probably seems silly. 30 days to read ONE book?!  I know, I know.  I actually love to read but never seem to find the time, so this goal encourages me to get in bed and read a few pages each day.  So far I've read Not That Kind of Girl,  The Empathy Exams, and Tiny Beautiful Things.

2.) Workout 4 Times a Week

What would a resolution list be without at least one item dedicated to improving health and fitness?  As you may recall, I have long been a fan of Define Body & Mind and love that they offer toning and lengthening classes as well as spin classes.  Define is similar to Pure Barre because the classes combine ballet barre work, toning, pilates, and core strength work.  I am the worst about going to the gym on my own and putting in the work, so Define provides that class atmosphere where I am forced to put in the effort for a full hour.  I made it my goal this year to go 4 times a week, with 3 classes of cardiovascular exercise (revolution spin class) and at least 1 body class.  I also find using the app My Fitness Pal to be helpful for tracking calories and water intake during the day.

3.) Buy Less, Choose Well

As Oscar Wilde once said, "Nowadays people know the price of everything but the value of nothing."  Gone are the days where I would frequent Forever 21 or H&M to find cheap but trendy clothes to wear a few times and then forget about.  As I get in to my later 20s, I have begun to understand the importance of investing in quality pieces that stand the test of time.  Even though that means I won't be shopping or buying nearly as much, I find that I'm happier about my purchases for much longer these days.  I still carry this bag with me everyday!

 4.) Embrace Solitude

 I recently learned from Meg Biram's newsletter what the single habit of 7 highly successful people is, (spoiler alert- it's embracing solitude) and it really made me think about how easy it is to get lost in busy-ness.  Personally, I find that when I'm alone and really doing nothing that most of my creative ideas come to me.  With the constant distraction technology provides, it's become harder and harder to just sit and think.


Without finding solitude and quietness, we stifle our own ability to be creative and  innovative. As the article states, "For all the benefits of technology making the world so small, the reality is that we're so connected to others we've become disconnected to ourselves.  We are seeing the extinction of healthy existentialism.  The individual has dissolved.  No drops, just ocean." 

 So this year, I'm taking a cue from these two brilliant minds and finding time to be alone and reflect:

 “If you are alone you belong entirely to yourself. If you are accompanied by even one companion you belong only half to yourself or even less in proportion to the thoughtlessness of his conduct and if you have more than one companion you will fall more deeply into the same plight.” ― Leonardo da Vinci

 “We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship.” ― C.S. Lewis

What are your resolutions this year?  Are you finding it hard to stick to them?