New Year, New Goals?

I don’t get too into the idea of New Year’s Resolutions, but that’s only because I tend to make mine on my birthday in May. That being said, I love any chance to focus on self-improvement or any sort of other Oprah-y stuff. And then there’s the chance to reflect on the year that’s just gone by, which I’m also super into. Last year was a big one, in a lot of ways. I started writing for HelloGiggles and had my writing published on a few other big sites. I got a new (great!) job. I got engaged! And, although I don’t talk too much about the negative aspects of my personal life here, of course there were bad things as well. In every way, this has been the most eventful year of my entire life–the most spectacular and the most terrible things have happened all at once, sometimes even in the same week. I never thought I could cry so much, both from being happy and from being heartbroken.

And then there were all the other things that made up my year…the parties, weddings, graduations, books, movie nights, dinners, donut breakfasts, weekend trips and concerts. Date nights with H., time spent with my family, seeing Dr. Dog for the fourth time, being Cat’s maid of honor, throwing a “surprise” party for H., visiting our friends in other states…these were all the things that made 2012 such a good year. It’s been one full of love, friendship, and fancy cocktails. As usual, I wish there were things I could fix, change, take back, make better, but as one of my best friends Dan taught me last weekend, we should all live life with no regrets. Of course, he said this when talking about ordering juice from Northstar, but really, we can apply it to things that aren’t juice-related, as well.

So even though I don’t do formal New Year’s resolutions, I can’t help but think of the things I want to accomplish this year. But, rather than think of things on the grand scale, I’m focusing on small, accomplishable, fun goals. Since I live in a city with a few great concert venues just a few miles from my place, H. and I’ve decided to go to 5 concerts this year. I want to plan a fun and special wedding, of course. Oh, and I want to finally try Ethiopian food. And decorate H’s place to look less like a weird old man’s den and more like a place where a weird lady (me) could live. Pretty simple, right?

What about you guys? What are your small New Year’s goals?