4 Things to Work on in 2018

This has been a hard yet beautiful year for me. I actually reached quite a few of my previous resolutions, such as graduating from my masters program, moving of our one bedroom apartment, and becoming a fully fledged licensed teacher. Possibly the biggest change was how seriously I took my pledge to take care of my mental health this year. 2017 marked the first full year of going to therapy and keeping toxic relationships out of my life. The way I protected myself emotionally wasn’t always the best in the long run, but I know for a fact that I am mentally stronger than I have ever been in my life. There are still so many things I want to grow in and let go of this year though.

Travel more.
It’s so weird, I am such a homebody and my whole life I never saw the appeal to traveling. Trust me, I still am a huge homebody, but in 2017 I suddenly understood the meaning of wunderlust. Visiting London this past May was an amazing experience and has only spurred on my desire to travel more. My goal is to go on at least one big trip this year and make the most of it.

Make social media platforms more beautiful.
One of my favorite past times is to explore Instagram. I get so inspired by the fashion, adventures, and lifestyles. I am brutally aware that everyone is putting their best foot forward when sharing their lives on the internet, but seeing (mostly) the good, the bad, and the adventurous is so motivating and interesting. This year I took less pictures and documented less events than ever: which is fine! And this may sound odd, but I want to document this year and all my journeys more often through beautiful pictures and maybe more blog posts?

Continue to take care of self, but in healthier ways.
I was in survival mode during 2017. Buying clothes makes me momentarily happier? Buy thousands of dollars worth of them. Binge watching TV was the only thing I felt up to doing? Watch 6 straight hours of it every night instead of being productive. Don’t feel you have time to cook? Literally buy every single meal out for a whole year. While yes, those things helped me reach this new year one way or another, I feel like I am now strong enough to continue to take care of myself without having to overindulge my needs in ways that impede my bigger goals. I’m beginning to understand my boundaries, and everything I need in moderation is now key. This leads into my next goal:

Focus more on long term goals.
The only way to obtain the “normal” new year resolutions that I have such as: saving money, losing a few pounds, finish my second masters, and reading more books is to focus on the big picture. None of those things are going to happen over night. While those multiple sodas a day might taste good, taking the summer off from everything might be relaxing, and buying a whole bunch of items might make me feel good, reaching my bigger goals is only going to feel better! I’m not frustrated or disappointed in ay of my decisions I made in 2017, I understand that I did what I had to do, but now I want to reach new, bigger goals.

This was a little bit more of a rant to myself, an understanding of where I was and where I am headed. Thank you for listening 🙂 What are your resolutions for 2018?

Cheers,
— Brey