Whatcha Doin?

Well, it’s January 1st, 2017, and time to start a New Year’s Resolution!

Except New Year’s Resolutions suck.

Each year, the people around me talk about their ~one big goal~ and how it’s going to change their life. Fun fact: That’s freaking intimidating. 

I’m not discounting the benefits of setting a goal to see positive change in your life, but I’m not trying to take control of one big thing in my life and be my own savior. I’m taking this year – one week at a time – to do 52 things I think will make me closer to God, and therefore closer to the human I’m being led to be. Some of the things on my list might not seem like they’re about my faith or God, and that’s because they’re not. Some things I just want to try or I feel drawn to because I think they might be worth something and will eventually help me to grow. Other things might seem ridiculous in their simplicity or oddness, but this is my list and I chose each item for a reason.

So, here’s my New Year’s Resolution:

• Each week of 2017 complete one item from my list of 52 things (see below).
• The task or process must be completed or worked on each of the seven days of that week to be considered successful.
• I’ll update the list each week to reflect what order I’m doing each item. Currently, there is no set order for the list because of my unpredictable schedule as a college student. 
• A reflective blog post must be written and posted no later than Monday evening of the week after completing the item from the list for each and every week.
• Obvious exceptions to completing an item from the list or writing a blog post on time: Family or medical emergencies.
• Disclaimer: The list might change at times to reflect what’s on my heart.

If you have any suggestions, feel free to comment or send me a message through the contact tab on this blog. If you would like to follow along week to week, please follow this blog so you’ll receive updates. If you feel like trying this New Year’s Resolution along with me, just do it! Or contact me if you want a support buddy!

Alright folks! Here’s the list. It’s pretty detailed because if I don’t write down the stipulations, I get as lazy as possible. So enjoy my awkward instructions to myself. 

1. Floss once each day and brush your teeth thoroughly – no quick scrubs!
2. Cook a fresh breakfast each morning. Yes, that might mean waking up earlier and waking up your roommates when you drop a spoon. You all can deal with it. 
3. Exercise four days. Don’t hurt yourself. 
4. Start each day by reading a devotional.
5. Write down three good things at the end of each day and keep them somewhere to read at the end of the week. 
6. Start each day with a jam session. You’ll probably have to do it in the cold living room so you don’t wake your roommate up. But that’s okay. Just dance your heart away for approximately two minutes and 30 seconds. 
7. Have a water bottle of lemon water by 10am each day . Apparently you’ll feel a difference by the end of the week. *shrug*
8. Read Anatomy of a Disciple for 15-ish minutes each day.
9. Start each morning with squats and increase them each day. Who knows? Maybe you’ll notice a difference after a week.
10. Learn about and try graphic design for at least 30 minutes each day. You know you need to figure it out for your future job. 
11. Only listen to Christian music – feel free to find some new stuff that’s not replaying on the radio. Spotify is your friend.
12. Listen to a podcast once a day. It can be while you’re eating, taking a break, waiting for class or work to start, or before bed. 
13. Wake up on time and get right up each morning. 
14. Wake up on time: The remix.
15. Do breathing exercises each day. First, look up breathing exercises…
16. Pray before each meal. Maybe it will taste better?
17. Spend 30 minutes each day alone in your bedroom doing something non-electronic (read, sit in silence, etc.).
18. Spend 20 minutes learning French each day. 
19. Write a thank you note to a new person each day. And probably mail it? They might want to read the nice things you have to say. 
20. Try a different source for news each day – be an informed citizen!
21. Spend 15 minutes each day for five days pulling together the recipes you’ve found, print and three-hole-punch them on the sixth day, and organize them into a binder on the seventh day (<< that all sounded vaguely Biblical). Go forth and meal prep!
22. Read a chapter from Thrive each day. Feel like the strong independent Godly woman you are – or are striving to be. 
23. Color for 30 minutes each day either in silence or with music – no tv necessary.
24. Go on a walk for at least 30 minutes every day.
25. Read a chapter from the Narnia series each day. Remember the nights when Mom read you to sleep with the books.
26. Try not to interrupt people. Resist the urge you annoying youngest child. You can do it – or at least suffer internally trying. 
27. Only watch documentaries or Ted Talks if you feel the need to watch anything at all.
28. Text or call one person each day to catch up and ask how you can pray for them. You should probably start with your grandparents.
29. Keep a food journal. Just do it. Maybe it will help you?
30. Stand or walk around as much as possible instead of sitting doing nothing. 
31. Do stretches for 10 minutes each day. Work on that flexibility, girl!
32. Shower every day. Don’t worry about your hair, but wash your stinky pits girl!
33. Free-write for 30 minutes each day. It doesn’t have to be a story, just get some ideas down on physical paper.
34. Ask someone about their day each day and really listen. Maybe tell them you not responding verbally while they talk is part of an exercise you’re trying… Otherwise they might get uncomfortable. 
35. No watching tv or movies. At all. I’m serious. Just sit there and eat your soup, Gwen.
36. Recite affirmations to yourself whenever you’re alone in the car. Yes, you’ll feel really stupid, but maybe you’ll start to feel better by the end of the week.
37. Actually go over notes or rewrite them after each class. Supposedly it will help you retain more information. 
38. End each day with a brain dump free-write for at least 15 minutes. 
39. Dress really nice each day. That doesn’t mean you have to wear a dress, but you might consider it.
40. Make your bed each morning, right after waking up. No excuses. Your roommate will stay asleep while you move a freaking blanket. 
41. Sit up straight. Try to remember this in class, while you’re eating, and even while you’re driving.  
42. Clean something small each day (counters, toilet, vacuum, sinks, sweep floors, dust surfaces, tidy bedroom, tidy kitchen, tidy living room).
43. Leave no dirty or drying dishes out at the end of each day. 
44. No makeup. Make sure to choose a week where your hormones won’t screw you over, though.
45. Only listen to instrumental or electronic music.
46. Sit in silence for 10 minutes each day. You might have to kick your roommate out for a little bit or do it at 1am. That’s okay. 
47. Drink half of a whole water bottle before 9am each day. Yes, you’re going to have to pee really bad probably right after class starts. Deal with it. 
48. Go vegetarian. Still eat eggs if you feel like it, though.
49. Get eight hours of sleep each night. Don’t worry about the homework you need to do, the shower you didn’t take, or the dishes left out. Just. go. to. sleep.
50. Try drawing one thing from your how-to-draw book each day (Or work on Christmas gifts… kill two birds with one stone).
51. Wear makeup every day. Learn how to do eyeliner, dang it!
52. Relax.