Life

Here’s to 2016!

Welcome to a new year! How were everyone’s celebrations yesterday? Logan and I  had a date night with an epic French meal. I love experimenting in the kitchen!

The cheese plate from our epic French feast on New Year's Eve!

As I think ahead to this year, I’m struck by the sheer possibility of it all. Calling something “new” always holds so much promise. It’s energizing to look over the expanse of the next 12 months.

Some parts already mark the calendar: Logan’s graduation, summer  studying for and taking the bar, our new placement with the Air Force sometime next fall and my finishing up my job. Together we’ll move to a new city, find a new place to live and learn new grocery stores, churches and date night restaurants.

But so much in between is still unknown, even in the broad strokes. How will we finish out our time in the Triangle? What will characterize this year beyond events or move dates? Where are we even moving to?

As a goal-oriented person, I have tons of dreams about what new year’s resolutions. There’s probably 54 floating around in my head, each well-meant but impossible when stacked all together. So this year I’m trying two things: I’ll have a short list of managable goals for myself, but I also want a more philosophical approach. I want to decide right now what I want this year to feel like, how it will be described in tone.

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Yes, there’s tons of things I don’t know and can’t control that will influence the tone/pace/flavor of 2016. What I can work towards is who I want to me in the midst of all the good and bad and just plain weird that’s coming down the pipeline this year.


So my descriptor for myself this year is happy & unperfected. 

I came across the phrase in a blog a few months ago, and it stuck with me. (My apologies to whomever I took it from – I don’t remember where I found it! Message me and I’ll credit you!) I want that to describe me this year. I want to be less interested in perfection and more interested in getting it done and being happy and content while doing it. I don’t believe that God promises following him is easy (or even “happy” in the pleasure-seeking sense of the word), but he does promise joy in life with Jesus. I’m getting at the joy-seeking version of happy here.

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Me at a particularly good phase of happy & unperfected: Blue Mountains, Australia, 2009

I do have a few things I’d like to “do” this year too. But again, trying to limit myself and not aim so high I’m busting my butt all the time to achieve whatever unnecessary goals I have. So here’s a couple random thoughts for 2016:

  • Learn more about photography, editing, & graphic design. I want to up my game on the blog through these, but also because I love them!
  • Approach my house over the 6 months with a “use it up” mentality. You know what I mean – I have a ton of stuff. But knowing that we’re moving this fall has become motivating to use up all the random crap that it’s not worth taking with us. This the 578392 products in my bathroom, or the miscellaneous papers & office supplies that make up the office/guestroom. I also want to apply this to clothing, books, and decor: do some purging, keep what I love and sell/give away what I don’t. I don’t need to move shirts that don’t fit me or books that I didn’t even like the first time I read them. If I feel “meh” about it, I’m trying to ditch it. I’ll never be a minimalist but I am trying to not keep junk (unless I need that piece of junk for life, like I was with my first car or our current couch).
  • Travel, of course! There’s a couple trips in the works for sure, including a post-bar trip for Logan and I. I’m also hoping to do some more weekend travelling, and there’s lots of potential for visiting faraway friends. This is all TBD but it’s a priority.
  • Enjoy my home city while we’re still living here. My Triangle Bucket List has languished of late, but I’m feeling freshly motivated to soak up every minute. So look forward to more local fun showing up here in 2016, starting with today’s adventure to the NC Zoo!

So a couple manageable goals, and one hope.

What are your goals and hopes for 2016?

Here's to a great 2016!

Here’s to a great 2016!

all images copyright Teaspoon of Nose

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