Happy New Year, friends! Can someone tell me how 2018 crept up so quickly?
Normally, I’m not a huge believer in New Year’s resolutions. If I have specific goals in mind, I try to set and accomplish them throughout the year, rather than “saving them up” for January.
This year, though, I’m going to make a conscious effort to follow through with a few resolutions.
This past year was craaaazy. I went through a lot of ups and downs in both my personal life and my work life. It was honestly quite exhausting, but it taught me a lot of lessons and in the end, I think it made me a better person.
I’m SO ready for the proverbial fresh start that 2018 brings. With that, I give you my New Year’s resolutions:
- Let people make their own decisions
This has always been a big struggle for me. I want to “fix” everyone and their problems…even when that person may not see them as problems at all. In 2017, the recurring theme seemed to be trying to fix people’s relationships. Or, to be more specific, to get my friends out of what I feel are the “wrong” relationships.
This year, I’m going to try to back off a bit. Of course I will always give help and advice when I’m asked for it, but I’m going to try to stop taking on other people’s problems as my own. I realize that I can’t just make people see the light by continually giving my opinion. People need to experience and learn things on their own, no matter how long that might take. I am also trying to realize that just maybe I’m not always right about everything…
- Make moves for my future…one step at a time
I’ve been feeling unsure about my future lately. Where do I want to be in 5 years? Where do I want to settle down? What type of person do I envision myself with, and how do they fit into my career goals and geographic location? If I let my mind run with it, it gets overwhelming pretty darn quick.
In the new year, I want to make some decisions to enrich my life and plan towards my future…BUT, I’m going to try to take it one step at a time. I will remind myself that no matter what my next step ends up being, I’m not going to be stuck there. There are so many factors that change the course of a person’s life, and I can’t try to figure it all out at once.
- Spend more wisely
Ugh…money. The bane of my existence, yet the key to it as well. Annoying how that works, huh? I’ve definitely gotten better at managing my bills, but my finances are still a constant worry. Part of the problem is that my income is not much higher than that of an elementary schooler’s allowance. But, I will admit, I could definitely do a better job about allocating it.
In 2018, my best friend’s wedding is coming up. With that comes flights across the country, a bachelorette party, dresses, gifts, hotels, etc. I booked my first flight last night and quickly started to panic as my bank account was quickly “zapped.” I started texting my mom (as any self-sufficient 26 year old does, right?) and she made me feel a little better by telling me to just take the expenses one at a time. It’s not going to be easy, but I’m going to manage as best as us broke twenty-somethings can. And if that means less eating out, quiet weekends in and, yes, less shopping, I’ll make it work.
What are your New Year’s resolutions for 2018? Let me know in the comments!
Colorfully Yours,
Haley
