Somewhat of a 2017 Recap + What’s To Come
I don’t think I could recap 2017 if I tried.
Just yesterday, Cam and I found ourselves wandering around the same Barnes and Noble we came to to celebrate my birthday almost a year ago. Yes, for my 21st birthday I wanted nothing more than to ring it in by picking out a few new novels and a journal or two.
“I can’t believe it’s been a year,” I said as we exited the bookstore and passed the Tex Mex joint where I enjoyed (drank half) of my first legal mojito.
“It feels like it’s been longer,” Cam said.
Maybe it feels like no time has passed at all because I’m in a very similar spot like I was at the end of 2016. I was just ready for a fresh start and oh so emotionally and mentally tired. But isn’t everyone? A year is a lot.
In a year, you’ll sit at several red lights. You’ll buy many birthday presents. You’ll say I’m sorry many times. You’ll have many hard days and many great ones. You’ll be sick. You’ll sleep. You’ll watch a lot of Netflix. You will consume countless cups of coffee – maybe that’s just me. Your nails will be several different colors and so will the shade of your skin. You will be 1,000 different versions of yourself but still yourself at the same time and that’s enough to make anyone feel like – woah.
I’m not really making New Years Resolutions. If I had to make one it would be to stop treating myself like I’m some big project that needs to be fixed and just live. I spent 2013 trying to become someone different and shed an old skin…2014 trying to fit into my new college shadow that seemed to stretch too big for me…2015 I sat with anxiety and got to know it and we decided where we could go from there so that 2016 was a year where I took leaps and bounds that looked like I wouldn’t make it and I did. So 2017 was for catching my breath…for facing new challenges…and for finally not apologizing for being the deep-feeler that I am.
I think that’s a pretty great part of this year…no matter how fast or how slow it seemed to go at times.
I do have a list. A list of 18 things I want to do in 2018. They are not resolutions. They are little slices of happy to-dos that will keep me on the path I’ve laid out for myself of just a simple “no projects, no gimmicks, happy, healthy, loving 2018.”
I’d encourage you to write one, too. Just keep the things specific. No “drink more water”. More like “buy that cute Target water bottle with the Christmas money from Grandma and fill it up first thing every day.” I think it’s kinda that “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink thing.” Make it drink. You know?
Here’s my list, if you’re curious. I wasn’t going to share it, but this post would be a little short without, and it’s fun to see what other people are wishing for as the countdown to midnight begins. Again, these aren’t resolutions. Just little reminders that will bring me back to myself in 2018.
One // Cook a meal for my family and me twice a month
Two // Find a church for Cam and me
Three // Continue to write/journal at least 4 days a week
Four // When I’m sad, get up…not down
Five // Travel on an airplane more than once
Six // Be kind when I can be anything but
Seven // Keep up with appointments for my health
Eight // Call my grandma
Nine // Use reusable bags at the grocery store
Ten // Speak my mind
Eleven // Read at least two books a month
Twelve // Bake once a month
Thirteen // Practice pain management
Fourteen // Visit a new city or state
Fifteen // Take pictures that don’t make it to Instagram
Sixteen // Try new places to eat in Houston with Cam
Seventeen // Keep having lunch and coffee dates with friends
Eighteen // More positivity every day
Hope your last few days of 2017 are great and 2018 comes in like a nice warm hug.
X,
Cristina
