2014

Hello again Friendlings!

Source: anthropologie.com

My, it was last year that we last spoke! How long ago that sounds. 2013 was a very hectic year and one that I am, frankly, glad is over. The last few months were especially difficult and I do feel terrible about that as I had grand ideas for my blog during the holidays. It just didn't turn out the way I had hoped. And I sort of went MIA. All that we can do now is keep the past behind us and move forward to a new year with new opportunities and dreams. Are you as excited as I am?

Usually, I come up with my resolutions for the new year around the end of December but I purposefully did not think of any until the start of the 2014 in the silly idea that, by doing this, I won't be carrying anything (bad luck included) over to a fresh year.

My 5 New Year's Resolutions are:

1)  Become better organized. Once upon a time, I was highly organized. Books and movies were categorized. All papers were where they needed to be. Even my food cupboard was neat and tidy. 2013? It felt like a hurricane went through my house. Everything was just thrown anywhere. I was never able to find anything I needed. It was a complete mess. And having my house messy meant that my life was messy. It left me frazzled and frustrated. I plan for 2014 to be a lot better and one way to accomplish this is to...

2)  Downsize. My main adventure for 2014 is moving house. It will be happening at the end of summer (hopefully) and with that being 7ish months away... it's opened my eyes to how much junk and nonsense I have to move with me. I made a post in Autumn about my mother downsizing her life to fit into a camper. I won't be so extreme but I really would like to own less. Not only will it be less of a burden in packing, but it is senseless to own things I have never used or had even forgotten I owned.

3)  Read 25 books. This was one of my resolutions last year and the one I am most sad to have failed at. I love reading. That feeling when you find a book you don't want to put down. Opening yourself up to new ideas and emotions. It's my greatest pleasure. So why didn't I read very much? I convinced myself I didn't have time. And I could have - should have - made the time. I once was able to read over 50 books a year. I feel 25 is a nice non-threatening number.

4)  Blog better. I started Spark of Chatter September 2013, after 10 years of blogging on a previous site. I had high dreams for this blog. For myself. I wanted to mark a place on the internet where I could share things that I loved. Without constraining myself to what others expect or might want. And I didn't do that so well last year. I became stressed with the idea of putting myself out there in public view. I judged myself based off other, better, blogs. I want to do better. My small goal is a post a week and by spring, be up to 3 or 4 a week. I want to find my voice again.

5)  Be healthier. Oh the slippery slope! In 2015 I will be 30 years old and it has gotten me to think on how poorly I care for my body. I still eat like a teenager. Fast foods and snacks. I dropped exercising halfway through 2013 and I feel it. I feel sluggish and not as flexible as I once was. Embarrassingly, it takes my breath to lace up my boots. I want to do a better job in caring for myself. Walking, yoga, veggies and water... any small thing that can help me live a better life. One were I feel better.