And With that… it’s 2023
It’s a new year… so new you, right? I’ve never been one for resolutions. I’ve always made lists of things I wanted to do in the year and if I don’t achieve them they spill over to the next or if I no longer want a specific goal it is taken off “the list”. It’s a system that has always worked for me. I’ve never wanted to “change” or “resolve” things about me. I remember in my early 20’s thinking, “I don’t want to change, I just want to be a better version of myself. I like myself!” I tend to be a romantic and see my life as a journey that I grow through. I see life like a story and as one chapter ends, it gives a subtle introduction to the next with my core remaining an anchor to this storyline.
Last year was a growth year. Not much happened externally, but internally so much shifted. I was honest with myself. I became more decisive. I accepted old things and adopted other new things. I was more adventurous and tired things I would have normally been too self-conscious about in the past. I also gave myself even more grace.
This past year I decided I was going to adopt the motto wage joy. In high school I had a bumper sticker saying “wage peace” so I was inspired by that and decided that I wanted to spread more light and joy. It’s funny, as I started to actualize this I became happier and the world gave back. Daily conversations were no longer tainted with the byproducts of hardships, but rather the rewards of harnessing the good. Stress and crappy things were not forgotten or minimized, I just let joy be present first. I think when we put out good energy, the world will return the favor. I think that the converse is true as well. In this new year I want to continue on the wage joy journey.
Without further ado here is a list of some things I am dreaming for the new year:
challenge myself my photography eye
make sure people take photos of me too
visit Europe
improve my garden- is it possible to make it weed free?!
donate/sell items in my closest that I am holding on to because someone gave it to me
PAINT again
SEW again
HAND LETTER practice
design and sell my handmade goods
walk daily
organize my photo files
a road trip or train trip to NYC
see the lilacs at the Arboretum
blog regularly
explore Italian wines
earn steady income from freelancing
organize my studio space
make homemade pasta (why haven’t I done this already?!)
journal again
find a pen pal
keep learning French and Greek
run more
read even more books
reread favorite books
Song of the year
Topo Ride the Wave- Cayucas