13 resolutions for 2013

 it's funny, I feel like you're always told that 13 is an unlucky number, but so many people seem to have it as a lucky number...

here's hoping those people are right and 2013 is a great year for all of us :)

2012 started out seeming so great, but it really was a tough year for me personally...rough times at a really difficult job, losing people we loved, and falling on and off the workout wagon several times.


but it is about to be a new year, and a fresh start...and this year I am pretty darn excited about it.  even though I have an aversion to odd numbers typically...but that's just a little quirk of mine...


I thought I'd make a list of resolutions to start the year off, and why not 13?


so here goes nothing!  let's see how many of them I can keep!



1.  meal plan and eat HEALTHY!  with of course one/two cheat meals a week... I'd love to try and cook a lot more- less (would love if it could be none) processed foods...lots of good fruits and veggies...and try more new recipes- like I did over the summer this past year!

2.  make going to the gym a priority.  at least 5 times a week.  it is totally do-able...I just need to pack my gym clothes and go on the way home.  no more excuses.  I've been working out for about a week now without falling out of the routine and I already remember why I love going...I feel so much better!  which directly relates to my next resolution...

3.  make it back to my goal pant size!  note I did not mention losing a certain number of pounds or what size it is...just the pants I wore back when I felt healthy and good about how I looked.  I am not in my twenties any more so I need to be okay with the scale, as long as I feel and look how I want to.  ahh personal growth :)

4.  draw for fun EVERY day.  (this might be tough, so on days I miss, draw twice as much another day to make up for it.)  it has always been a dream of mine to be an illustrator in some capacity...writing and illustrating my own book would be a dream come true...but it can never happen if I don't work on my skills.

5.  keep in touch more.  I have so many wonderful people I call friends :)  but it is so hard to actually call them all!  so in some way, be it email, text, actual mail, or a phone call, I want to keep better track of the people I love :)  it wont be easy, but I think it will make me happy...so that wins ;)

6.  SAVE money.  I finally have a good great job, and I can start thinking about being financially savvy...so I need to intentionally take that "oh look extra money" at the end of a month and put it aside.  I have goals and ambitions...and I need to be able to back it up with some cash ;)  haha!

7.  initiate production on my new pendant line.  It has been far too long of a wait.  but this year, will be the year that I get my drawings-turned pendants produced.  it will hopefully take my shop to the next level...and make my business more profitable...which will help with #6 :)

8.  give my Etsy shop the attention it deserves.  I have no excuses- well I guess full time job, and graduate school are kind of excuses- as to why I neglect my shop from time to time.  when I put work into it, I see sales.  simple as that.  so making it part of my weekly routine will hopefully make those sales pick up as well!  and apply to more shows this year!

9.  keep up with my blog.  I have been doing a pretty good job since school started- it has been a good outlet for me to talk about the work I am doing, and sharing my students art with the world :P  well maybe not the whole world...but to my lovely readers :)  I have also made some new friends via the blogging world, and it's fun!  so here's hoping I can also find time for this.  geez.  I wish adding more time to the day could be a realistic resolution...

10.  organize my computer.  I have about forty bagillion files on my computer.  this is why it runs so slow.  but.  I have my own art, photos, and just random files on top of all my files for school- student art, spreadsheets about everything...but I am also pretty sure that I have the same files saved in a few places.  so getting my Mac running at a nice pace is a big goal for this year!

11.  get/keep myself organized.  planners, schedules, labels, bins...I want to have just the clothes I need, know where all my papers/files/documents are without digging...to be able to use the office as a studio space...to plan out meals and workouts ahead of time...to have my lesson plans ready go to more then a week in advance. 

12.  practice random acts of kindness/volunteer.  I think that it would be awesome if once a month I could do something to help brighten someone's day.  whether it be a person I know, or a complete stranger.  I think shooting for 12 in one year is a good plan :)  and in college I used to volunteer at an animal shelter...I know I know...where will I find the time?  but if I really sat down and thought about all the hours I wasted just watching tv or something...I bet I could carve out a little time to help...

13.  organize a clothing drive.  I am so inspired by people who do good things for others!  and working in a community where many people dont have the simple life's necessities are hard.  I know that the dear Erin of Living in Yellow has done it in the past, so hopefully I can get some tips from her and organize something for Baltimore City


okay, there you have it!  a pretty lofty list...but I have to say...if I can do these things, it will be a pretty freakin' awesome year.


add your own list of resolutions and link up here!




HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!