It's crazy how 365 days can change a person.
365 days ago I sat on my bed crying. I was so lost. In college, I learned all about making 5 year plans. Every class talked about a 5 year plan. Career plans. Family plans. Personal plans. Have a 5 year plan! Make sure your plan is SMART. Specific, measurable, achieviavble, realistic, timely. I had all that. And it was going to happen before I was 30. I was a SMART Planner. A perfect wife. A fantastic dog mom of 2.... then I wasn't any of that. And soon after I turned 27.
So, I sat on my bed crying, until I was done. And that was it. I was just done being sad. It had been 9 days of tears and I didn't like it. In that moment I realized that for me, personally, happiness was a choice. So, I decided then and there that 27 was going to be the best year yet, and I made myself a list to ensure it would happen. Here are some of them:
3- Attend RiSE 2017
This had been on my bucket list since 2015. RiSE is a floating lantern and music festival and was one of the most beautiful, spiritual, cathartic moments of my life.
7- Take Aggie on hikes
I knew I needed some healthy life adjustments added into my life, and for some strange reason, I got left with the wrong dog, so riggerous walks were a PRIORITY. I absolutely fell in love with the mountains and trails in the Portneuf Valley and Aggie loved the one on one time she finally got with me. It was a healing that we both needed.
10- Go to the Great Salt Lake
For as many times as I had flown over it, I had never actually been to the Salt Lake. Funny that I ended up moving to the city, but it kinda just reassured me that I was where I was supposed to be. My experience at the lake, however, just reminded me that things aren't going to always go as planned. I was expecting something so beautiful and the lake was DISGUSTING! That being said I also learned to make the best of any situation. The day trip was a blast and I am so glad we went!
16- Send thank you cards
Gratitude really helped me get through the year. Making sure I thanked those who helped me was really important, because I wanted them to know their impact. It was actually really selfish though, it made me think about how there really are so many people out there who do love me and care for me and would do so many things for me. I also loved sending out snail mail so that people got envelopes containing things that weren't bills!
18- Celebrate random holidays
CAN'T STOP! WON'T STOP! This was so fun! National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. National Grilled Cheese Day. National Emoji Day. National Siblings Day. National Chocolate Day. Coffee Day. Dog Day. Donut Day. Talk Like A Sailor Day. I became "that girl" to a lot of people close to me where they would send me reminders or deliveries or help me celebrate in some way! It is so fun, and something I will continue for the rest of my life. Every day has something to celebrate, so let's!
20- Throw a fist full of glitter in the air
This comes from the Pink song. She asks the question, "Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?" My answer was, "No." So, for my half birthday I made it happen. I would also add this to everyone's must do list. It's pretty cool.
23- Get a new piercing
I've wanted a nose piercing since I was 12. I finally found people who would go to the salon with me. While I was talking to co-workers about doing my nose I mentioned wanting my daiths done too and there was debate about which hurts more nose or daith, so I decided I would be the voice to end the debate. I walked in the shop with 2 piercings, walked out with 5. And for the record, the nose hurts worse initially, daith hurts worse healing. Glad we had that talk.
25- Grow a minimalist closet
This has been one of my favorite things I have done for myself. I can literally say, "I have nothing I wear..." now, yet I never do have to say that (I even dressed up for Halloween in 3 different last minute costumes this year), because every item of clothing I own matches every item of clothing I own. I have to do laundry a lot more, which I am not a fan of, but I have better quality clothing, things I actually like to wear, and only 30 items! It has also changed my shopping habbit. When I like something I just remind myself, "You're a minimalist now! What are you getting rid of?" And that usually curbs the hunger to buy on impulse.
27- Eat chocolate when you crave it
This! This is the best thing I did for myself. I remember sitting on my bed crying and thinking I wasn't good enough and that I should probably get in shape. Then I wrote this as the last thing on my list. I chose happiness this year. Chocolate makes me SO HAPPY. This is also the only goal I took truly serious. I always had a chocolate snack in my bag, car, bedroom, chocolate everywhere in case of emergency (and also usually a fruity candy too). And guess what, I got fit. Keeping myself happy was what I needed to keep me motivated, and shaming myself when I needed some candy (every. single. day.) never would have helped. So, I'm going to keep eating candy. Every day. And be happy. Judge me.
Those are just a few of the 27 I had. Some were very personal and some were really fun. All of them reminded me to live in the moment and that it's going to be okay.
I didn't get all 27 though, and I think it's because I was still trying to be that perfect being when I made my list. I added things I wasn't going to be able to do within this last year of growth. Had this happened 365 days ago, I think I would have been sitting on my bed. Crying. I didn't take failure very well then. But, 365 days later, today, at 28, I'm okay with not getting everything checked off my list. I still have time. I'm still alive. God gave me another day. So, let's do it.
Here's to another day. Here's to another year. Here's to 28! And 28 new things to do while I'm 28!
- Travel to New Orleans
- Go antique shopping
- Get a navy manicure with black French tips
- Gamble at a casino
- Take a cooking class
- Go on a girlfriends getaway
- Go camping
- Watch a meteor shower
- Go to a spa
- Sleep in a blanket fort
- Go back to school shopping and buy myself supplies
- Get a tattoo
- Get a passport
- Throw a party
- See the Grand Canyon by ground
- Make cinnamon roll waffels
- Order dessert first at a restaurant
- Get a new drivers license
- Dye my hair navy
- Leave a note in a library book
- Go to Yellowstone
- Eat a grilled cheese in Dallas, Tx
- Start a non-profit organization
- Feed a giraffe
- Send weekly greeting cards
- Read: Born A Crime by Trevor Noah
- Visit one of Utah's National Parks
- Move in with Aggie
I really think I can do it this year!
Also, after I made my list of 27 in 27, I threw a birthday party for myself. At the neighborhood park. I invited the only people I knew would come. My sister, niece and nephew. That's the low I was at. Then I put on a fake smile because 27 was going to be a good year.
I had birthday brunch with my family this morning. And my new found cousin even stopped by. Then tonight I got to sing with my choir fam. And I smiled all the way through it, because I loved it.
It's crazy how 365 days can change a person. And I'm glad it did.
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