Resolutions and Their Corresponding Goals: 2013

This year my word is endeavor, and I have several resolutions that go along with this word. Resolutions are great, but they are pretty broad. I know that at the end of the year I'm going to want to have something to show for what I planned twelve months before. In the past I've written resolutions and they've sounded pretty and I had every intention of working with them throughout the year... but as I said before resolutions are broad and when something is broad and undefined it is hard for me to stick with it. I need something I can measure, actions that I can take.


... create something bigger and more beautiful than I could dream would be possible with this space.
See what I mean about resolutions being general? What does that even mean? Well, it means more posts, more great content, a blog that I love looking at... posts that I hope to find in my bloglovin reader. It means being present and keeping a calendar of posts and planning ahead. It means enjoying what I'm putting out into the world. It means being even more honest.
- two posts per week NOT INCLUDING the 52 in 52 updates. 
- working through the Blog (Design) Lovin class and applying what I learn to this space
- go on more adventures and do more new things so I have things to share

...grow leaps and bounds in my photography by completing projects, scheduling meet ups and taking classes or asking friends for help.
I read once a story about a guy giving advice to a starting photographer. He told the novice that in order to be good, he had to take thousands of pictures and that he had to spend time taking pictures each day. The story was more powerful, and the number was far more intense than thousands, but the idea behind it stuck with me (and if we're being honest, intimidated me). I think there's something important here. While I'm not signing up for a 365 day challenge, I am going to:
- take at least two photography classes and or workshops
- take at least 365 decent pictures (not one per day, 365 total)
- shoot and develop 6 rolls of film
- go on 12 photo adventures (at least 6 with my meetup group... if you are in S.D. and want to join us, sign up!)
- do 6 photo projects (ie: adventures in self timer, make a light box, write with light, etc)

... dream bigger and reach higher than I ever have allowed myself to do before in all aspects of my life. 
This is in reference to work, play and travel:
Acquire a job, two at most, that fulfill(s) and challenge(s) me. It must also pay the bills and have some left over for savings and traveling. It must also be something I am proud to put on my resume. 
Try things that I use to say I couldn't do. Try them, and then try harder, and then learn more and don't get discouraged at beginner level skills. Keep trying.
Go to places I have wanted to go to for years. Go back to places I miss or felt I didn't get to explore enough.
- update and redesign my resume... none of this boring stuff, it is going to look good, going to have the best information, and is going to be aesthetically pleasing and different than the traditional. (This does not mean it will be on pink paper, nor will it have a scent...)
- apply for out of state jobs in cities I've wanted to live in
- apply for jobs out of my obvious skill set that I know I could handle and grow in
- save up and visit New York... my friend Chelsea is in the process of moving there and I didn't give it my all the first time I went a few years back... so here's to saving up and doing it right the second time around. 

... learn to love cooking through a year long project.
- 52 dishes in 52 weeks... 

... build new connections and strengthen old ones with friends and family.
This one is going to be difficult to define in specific goals but I know what I mean. For instance, I'd fallen out of touch with a good friend of mine for several months (completely my fault, not hers) and just recently started talking to her again. I'm sure our lives don't have the same room for each other that they use to but the friendship is worth keeping alive, so I plan on spending an hour a month (at the least) with her. This can mean talking on the phone or actually hanging out in person. 
Another example would be the aforementioned friend moving to New York. We have had at least an 8 hour drive between us for the past several years but this is going to be way more than that. We recently worked out some kinks that come with every decade long relationship of any kind and I want to continue to be intentional about our friendship. That means emails, lots of emails... and some phone dates... and saving up money and visiting NY. 
I won't list out all my friends or instances but this gives me an idea of what to strive for with not just friends but family. 

And if I'm lucky, and if the universe is willing, I endeavor to create a new relationship unlike any I have had before. One filled with starry eyes, mutual affection, appreciation and lots of laughter... oh yes, and adventures.
I very much believe that a lot of this is up to the universe and timing... but, I also believe in constant self improvement and growth as well as making space for something great. So what I can do to best open myself up to the opportunity is:
- continue to clean up the cobwebs and garbage left behind from previous situations that just did not pan out. Acceptance is a big part of this, acceptance that things didn't work out and appreciation for the lessons learned (even if some of them seemed to be dirty rotten jerks at the time).
- continue to improve and challenge myself... continue to learn about anything and everything I have an interest in. I don't know if I could actually ever be boring (just ask my friend Rachael...she'll testify to the outrageousness that can be my life), I don't ever want to seem stuck... that's more for myself than anyone else.
- continue to love and respect myself for who I am and accept who I am not. If I don't why would anyone else? 
- go new places, try new things, accept invitations from people I barely know... get out there. I'm not going to bump into someone in my bedroom unless I've already met them out in the world and invited them there. 

xoxo