I don’t love resolutions but I do love a fresh start and reflecting, planning. So here are a few things I hope and plan to accomplish this year.
Give blood. I have never done this. I tried once but my anxiety/heart rate was too high. 😂🤦🏼♀️ To my credit I believe it was before nursing school now I’m accustomed to blood and needles.
Drink more water. I mean isn’t this everyone’s goal. Hats off to you if you are crushing this.
Move my body. Sometimes I get caught up on the yoga/walking isn’t high enough intensity etc. no more just move in a way that feels good. I do aim to do some high intensity but also letting yoga and walking be good enough since they are the movements I enjoy. I would like to try to get to a few aerial classes again.
Replenish the money we took out of our savings/emergency fund for my car. We have one account that’s emergency and like car replacement funds etc. I’d like to aim to replace what we took out for my car in addition to our regular contribution. And or put that money towards paying more down on Ryan’s student loans. Financial long run would probably be best to pay down Ryan’s student loans. I’ll ask Ryan to help figure out if money down is more beneficial than growing our savings which is in stock so it makes money for us.
Put $2k in one special savings account. It’s for a certain thing.
Track every penny we spend.
Purge our stuff. Holy stuff. I thought we downsided and got rid of stuff when we moved from BHM to Beaufort and then when we moved in Beaufort but holy stuff that I had to pack for our recent move. I want to get us unpacked and slowly, mindfully move through purging our things.
On that note, buy less crap. For real the best way to decrease the amount of stuff in our house is to buy less stuff. Be intentional and really think about will it be cherished and used. On that note also buy other people consumable gifts, something they ask for specifically or experiences. Request that people do the same for us. Don’t feel guilty about donating stuff we won’t use or that we do not cherish or is special to our family.
Shop less at Amazon. I feel like I’ve done better at this in the past but this Christmas and in the middle of the move really amped it up. But alas a season and time for everything. This Christmas just wasn’t one of beautifully wrapped gifts and locally shopped items. I barely had my nose above water with the move and nightshift. And honestly in the short time we have been in 2022 I’m learning I might have to use Amazon more than I’d like. Finding groceries here is hard. Even random things like freeze dried raspberries and hangers.
Have less food waste thus save money on groceries.
Aim to only use a max of two rolls of paper towels for the entire 2022. We have reusable napkins that we frequently use but there is still room for improvement on the disposable products. I hate that Covid in general made the world revert back to disposable things. Humans had made great progress.
Buy no candles, wrapping paper, nail polish (besides maybe a few color streets but I really need to work through what I already own), bath/shower products until I completely use what I have.
Read at least 52 books. Mostly for free, by swapping with friends and using the library.
Hang two or three wall bookshelves to have seasonal displays. Normally you see this in children’s rooms. One of my favorite Instagram follows (@beginathome) changes out her kids books for the seasons and I LOVE this so much I thought just because I don’t have kids doesn’t mean I can’t display my adult books in a fancy way and also some of the children’s books I have. I’ve already ordered two shelves from Etsy. I’ll see how they fit the space and possibly order a third later.
Clean and deep clean on a regular schedule thus making a move out clean easier.
Continue my Fabulous Friday blog post. I fell off mid year and definitely love this as a memory keeper.
Complete the photo organizing class and do it. As well as maintain.
Print 2020 and 2021 photo books by July 31.
See belugas in the wild. Summer Canada? We have seen Right whales, Orcas, plenty of Humpbacks and as of this summer two Blues. Belugas are one of the cutest. For our first dating anniversary Ryan surprised me with the Beluga encounter at the GA Aquarium. But I really want to see them in the wild.
Freeze fresh roasted tomatoes in summer for winter homemade soup.
Use Self Care Society membership. I had this membership last year as well but didn’t use it as often as I’d like. They now record the sessions which should be more helpful for accessing at a time convenient for me.
Continue to give through #rileykateslovies and when I feel the nudge. We don’t do a big charitable donation but I do try to give to people I feel need it when I can. Usually I love to do the big 25 acts at Christmas but that was toned down this year just simply because we were in the middle of moving.
Find a green space in Tuscaloosa that’s easy to access and safe. Spend time there. When leaving Beaufort I found myself thinking I wish we had done x more. And while Covid prevented some things, some were just on me. So when making the final moving drive to Bama I thought if we move in a year or two what will I wish we had done. I feel like spending time at the beach was one of my I wish I had done more despite the amount of time I actually spent there. Yes the salt water is definitely better than a green space in Tuscaloosa but I think part of Beaufort’s appeal was that we spent a lot of time outdoors. So I’d like to find a few good parks etc here.
Buy Alabama Football season tickets. Go to a basketball game. Go to one or more gymnastics meets. Again all from my if we moved in a few years what will I wish I had done while living in Tuscaloosa list.
See a show at The Ryman. I wanted to do this before we moved to Beaufort but didn’t. Well now we are close to Nashville again.
Visit New Orleans since we are close again. Eat at Saba. We have eaten at the counterpart in Denver. I’d love to visit the one close by. Also some friends should be there for a few months so maybe we can align our trips.
Take Em to see a mama turtle laying a nest.
Visit Beaufort in particular during the magical part of summer when new nest are being laid and the first ones are hatching. (mid July to early August).
Happy Newish Year! It’s never too late to set some intentions into motion.
And as always seek the everyday magic, make magic if you can’t find it and spread the light. 💗
The Barefoot Mermaid 