Happy 2018, Friends!

I love fresh new starts, making goals and lists, and planning in general. I haven’t written down any resolutions in a few years, so I thought I would jot down a few simple ones this year. Eating healthy, working out more, and declutter are givens, so I am going to skip past those, and get to the nitty gritty. I am going to share my resolution, elaborate a little bit, and write down practically how I am going to achieve them.

But first, how cute are these Polaroids that we took over Christmas? We got a retro Polaroid camera right before Christmas break, and they take pretty cool photos. It’s like real life Instagram for ya. (If you look closely, you can see my creepy shadow in there taking the picture). 

Resolutions for 2018!

Be a good wife-

Most days, I look down at my left ring finger and cannot freakin’ believe there is a beautiful diamond there. More importantly, I cannot believe I am married. I know it is absolutely redundant to say and think, seeing that it has been over a year, but there is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for my husband and our relationship. Being a good wife has come easily and naturally for me, but it is something that I work on every day and never ever want to neglect. Yung and I have been together 4.5 years, and we have evolved during this time. We both want to be the best person that we can be for each other, and build a strong foundation for a relationship that can withstand anything.

How to do it! More I love yous, love notes, and thank yous. More date nights out, exploring Dallas, because there is always something happening or something new to see. Better communication, and saying what we mean.  I am constantly learning how to support Yung and showing him how I need support. 

Write more-

I want to share more on the blog and make it a regular thing. When I started this blog 5 years ago, I intended for it to be a place for me to share photos and stories, and more importantly, document my life so I don’t forget it. It has waxed and waned over the years, and I am hoping 2018 will call for positive changes for this space. I love that it is my creative outlet, since my day job requires more left brain thinking. I want to share life stuff, travels, recipes, and work on building a community here.

How to do it! Schedule time for the blog and plan ahead. I used to blog “when I felt like it,” which keeps it a nice hobby, but I am planning for more regularly scheduled posts in 2018.

Be present-

As technology grows and becomes ever more popular, my attention tends to be here and there, but never just present with one thing. Does anyone else ever watch TV and scroll through their phone at the same time? Who has their cell phones out at the dinner table? I want to prioritize appropriately to focus on what is most important.

How to do it! I am trying to find a balance of being present and also keeping up with everything else. I don’t want to have one eye on the computer and one eye on a colleague, when they are trying to talk to me about their weekend plans. I want to give my husband my full attention, but also keep up with my emails and texts from others. I want to start having technology free nights with Yung, where we cook together, share a meal (with no TV!), talk, and share our dreams. 

Be better at self care

I feel that a lot of us have prided ourselves in having “busy” lives with every minute of every moment scheduled or planned out. If we aren’t out and about doing something, we are on our phones, watching other people living their lives (Instagram stories are my new favorite thing). I am figuring out what I need to do for myself for self care, and I want to ensure that it happens. I need to take care of myself so I can take care of my patients, make time for friends, and keep up with my family. I don’t like to admit that stress can overtake me. Does anyone else like to take other people’s stressors and make them their own? I usually like for other people to think that I have it all together and nothing can get the better of me. Obviously, that is not the case. In order to save emotional sanity to stay balanced, self care is a must.

How to do it! I’m making it a goal to stretch and do toning exercises at home every single day. Just 30 minutes can make a big difference for me. A day with exercise is always a productive day for me, so I am holding myself accountable to make it to a class or the gym on most day, or work out at home. There are classes I want to try, as soon as I get the guts to do it. I want to try Barry’s Boot Camp (they just opened in Dallas), but it looks super intimidating. I am also a big fan of the Aveda Student Salon. They offer student services for a fraction of the cost, and they offer amazing facials! I’ll be doing more of that this year! I also want to read more, even if it is just for a few minutes each day. To me, reading is such a luxury when there is laundry or dishes piled up. I almost never get to it, because there is always “something else” to get done first. What do you guys like to do for self care?

Give back

As a nurse practitioner, I’d like to think that I’ve made my career and life goal to help people. I’ve determined that that besides motherhood, helping people is what I’m about. Whether it is listening to a friend, helping someone paint their home, or mailing off a care package. Thewse are the moments that I feel the most accomplished, happy, and productive. Our church is plugged into working with Dallas teachers, police officers and most recently, fire fighters, which I love. I am always looking for ways that I can give back–even in the smallest ways.

How to do it? I’m not sure about this one yet! I’ve always felt a strong pull towards the homeless, so I’d like to start looking into shelter volunteer work. I am needing some fresh ideas with this one.

What are you working towards for 2018? I would love to know!

XO