New Year, Same Me

For many years, I took New Year's resolutions very seriously. Around the first of the year, I would sit down with a pen and my New Year's resolutions notepad and reflect on the previous year's resolutions. I'd go through each one and take note of how I did on that resolution. Then, I'd fold the sheets that contained those resolutions over, and make some fresh resolutions for the new year.

At the end of 2014, I started a new relationship. Everything in my life was going so well, and in my bold state of bliss I said "screw the resolutions" and decided not to make any for 2015. And then 2016, and 2017...

It's not that I didn't have things I was working on or wanted to improve, I guess I was just sick of the wierd social pressure that comes with making all these changes at the first of the year. Why do I have to change? And why do I have to start self-improvement the first of the year?

I had spent the last year working on so many things in my life, and loving the shit out of my self because of and in spite of it all.

On January 1st, I saw an email in my inbox from SoulCycle. The subject line: "Screw resolutions." Inside, it read "Because we're already a little bit in love with who you already are.

I'm a sucker for good marketing (and for SoulCycle), but this struck me for a different reason. I had spent the last year working on so many things in my life, and loving the shit out of my self because of and in spite of it all.

I guess it just really hit the nail on the head for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for bettering yourself. But something about new year's resolutions has a negative connotation... like, you need to be better! Work harder! Be different than you currently are!

For me, this year will be no different than last year. I will continue to explore and learn and create and do the things that make me happy. More of what makes me happy. More outings with friends, more reading, more blog posts... I'm not striving to change who I am, but to continue on a path that I've already started.

I'm excited to see what my future holds - tomorrow, next week, next year and the many years to come.

If you made resolutions this year, hell yes! If not, hell yes! My wish for you, this year and always, is to be happy - whatever that means to you.

Happy (belated) New Year!