I don't know if you know this, but we just started a brand new year. Now, I'm not generally one for new year's resolutions. I don't feel a strong need to wait for the new year to make life changes. I tend to just make changes whenever I think to make them. Well, actually, I usually think of something I would like to change and then actually start making that change out of nowhere on like a random Tuesday three weeks later.
However, as I was doing some shopping yesterday I got to thinking about some of the lifestyle habits I have been trending toward over the past couple years. And since my pondering happened to coincide with the time of year when everyone is talking about resolutions and changes and things, an idea was born. And now I'm making new year's resolutions.
Since moving back to the States I've gotten more and more interested in things like eating real food and thinking about my waste footprint and being more mindful about the products I'm buying and how I'm spending money in general. You know, hippie shit. I have become much more mindful about all of these aspects of my life and have made some incremental changes that all trend toward a more sustainable, healthier lifestyle. But I haven't really taken the plunge to fully commit to most of them. And thus, my resolutions.
My plan for this year is to set a challenge for myself each month that requires me to dive head first into a lifestyle change. I'm thinking of things like avoiding fast fashion, trying to eat only local food, shopping only at local businesses, going zero waste, setting aside a daily tech free hour, doing random acts of kindness, getting outside for a bit every day, switching to all natural beauty products...
I've started a list of possible challenges but I'm not setting a schedule for myself up front. I know that this list will grow and evolve as I move through the year and I don't want it to feel too rigid. I also want to have the flexibility to choose challenges that seem manageable at the time given all the other things going on in my life.
I don't expect all of them to become permanent lifestyle changes. I am hoping that some of them do stick even after their month is up, but my real goals are to break some old habits (like hitting the women's clearance rack every time I walk into Target), discover some new resources and create some new habits. I think that it's really important to have balance in pretty much everything and I think that some of the challenges will seem kind of extreme in relation to current social norms. My hope is that, by committing to the extreme for a bit, I will be able to come back to a place that feels manageable and balanced but much more aligned with my ideals. And, hopefully, I'll learn some cool stuff along the way.
A secondary goal is to blog about each challenge as I go so that I can share what I learn with anyone who is interested. I will do my very best to continue to actualize that intention throughout the entire year (though I'm not making any guarantees). Please check back each month to see what I'm doing and how it's going! Even better, join me in my challenge for the month!
Lastly, I am totally open to suggestions on challenges to make life more sustainable and mindful, so if you have any ideas, please share!
However, as I was doing some shopping yesterday I got to thinking about some of the lifestyle habits I have been trending toward over the past couple years. And since my pondering happened to coincide with the time of year when everyone is talking about resolutions and changes and things, an idea was born. And now I'm making new year's resolutions.
Since moving back to the States I've gotten more and more interested in things like eating real food and thinking about my waste footprint and being more mindful about the products I'm buying and how I'm spending money in general. You know, hippie shit. I have become much more mindful about all of these aspects of my life and have made some incremental changes that all trend toward a more sustainable, healthier lifestyle. But I haven't really taken the plunge to fully commit to most of them. And thus, my resolutions.
My plan for this year is to set a challenge for myself each month that requires me to dive head first into a lifestyle change. I'm thinking of things like avoiding fast fashion, trying to eat only local food, shopping only at local businesses, going zero waste, setting aside a daily tech free hour, doing random acts of kindness, getting outside for a bit every day, switching to all natural beauty products...
I've started a list of possible challenges but I'm not setting a schedule for myself up front. I know that this list will grow and evolve as I move through the year and I don't want it to feel too rigid. I also want to have the flexibility to choose challenges that seem manageable at the time given all the other things going on in my life.
I don't expect all of them to become permanent lifestyle changes. I am hoping that some of them do stick even after their month is up, but my real goals are to break some old habits (like hitting the women's clearance rack every time I walk into Target), discover some new resources and create some new habits. I think that it's really important to have balance in pretty much everything and I think that some of the challenges will seem kind of extreme in relation to current social norms. My hope is that, by committing to the extreme for a bit, I will be able to come back to a place that feels manageable and balanced but much more aligned with my ideals. And, hopefully, I'll learn some cool stuff along the way.
A secondary goal is to blog about each challenge as I go so that I can share what I learn with anyone who is interested. I will do my very best to continue to actualize that intention throughout the entire year (though I'm not making any guarantees). Please check back each month to see what I'm doing and how it's going! Even better, join me in my challenge for the month!
Lastly, I am totally open to suggestions on challenges to make life more sustainable and mindful, so if you have any ideas, please share!
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