Happy New Year!

Part of me wanted to start this post with “May 2019 be less of a dumpster fire than 2018!” But that’s not fair. Yes, there were some trash things that happened in 2018, but not all of it was bad. In fact, I’m going to take a moment to celebrate.

• My youngest turned one. He’s not really a baby anymore. That’s bittersweet because I love watching his milestones. Running. Talking. Climbing everything in sight. But it’s also a little sad to know just how fast he’ll grow up. Having said that, I’m choosing to celebrate.
• My oldest turned five. His birthday is late in the year, so this is recent. I’m still a little in shock. I have a five-year-old. Next year, he’ll start kindergarten. He’s my firstborn, so I knew absolutely nothing about parenting before him. I still know nothing, but now I know that I know nothing. Still, it’s a miracle we’ve both made it this far so hats off to us.
• My husband and I celebrated nine years of marriage. And we still like each other. A lot. Cheers.
• I got another, brand new, shiny and tiny nephew. I get to be near a baby again, but don’t have to change diapers this time. That’s pretty special.
• I added to my list of critique partners. She is one of those partners who is a natural teacher, because of how she asks her questions. It forces me to think about why I made this decision, or wrote a passage that way. She doesn’t just comment, she asks. She makes me be the one to really think it through and digest it. It’s both hard and immensely helpful.
• I gave myself a break. I didn’t always post on schedule. Sometimes, I started reading a book for a review and let myself DNF. I took a step back and didn’t berate myself for it. Okay, I didn’t berate myself as much as last year. It’s progress. Baby steps.
• I learned a lot. Some of it by listening more than I talked (that’s new for me too!), some of it by reading (tried and true favorite!), and some through trial and error. Regardless of how, I learned and that’s always a good thing.

Truthfully, there were many good things worth celebrating in 2018. And yes, there were hard things, both on personal and more global levels. However, I am going to make the choice to celebrate the good and move into 2019 with my head held high. And because I love lists, I’m going to write another one for my resolutions.

• To listen more and talk less. I started actively doing this in 2018 and it worked out well. I want to continue, but since I’m such a talkative person, I need to be purposeful about it.
• To be more intentional about my health. If I say I’m going to go to the gym every day all year long, it will be an absolute lie and I’m destined to fail. However, if I give myself a more realistic goal that will also improve my overall health, that seems more sustainable. So that’s it. I’m putting myself back on the list of priorities.
• To write more. To write better. To finish a big project. Basically, I took a step back in 2018, but in 2019 I want to step up. It’s time to dive back in.
• To be kinder to others.

I think I’ll stop there. A shorter list is a more manageable list. Wish me luck!

What are your resolutions for 2019?