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Every year on December 31, people take to social media to talk about the accomplishments they made throughout the past year, and new goals they would like to accomplish in the upcoming year. I think we can all agree, we can't help but giggle when people use the term "new year, new me" because let's be honest.. one day will not completely change who we are as people. Just because we will now have to remember to write "19" instead of "18" (the hardest..) does not mean we all of the sudden will forget our past tendencies and make a 180 degrees change. Don't we all wish it was that easy? Of course! But it isn't.

Realistically, we won't turn into heartless, cut you off if you don't serve me well, money over mind driven people in one night. So let's forget the whole "new year, new me" and let's start digging a little deeper to figure out real life changes that will help better your way of life. 

I wanted to curate a realistic list of New Years Resolutions that can maybe get your brain thinking. I have listed them from "least to most important," even though they are all important to me:

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10. Clean your house multiple times a week. Yeah- ya read that right. I know I'm a wife and a mom now and this is second nature to me, but we should all be doing this more than once a month. Having a clean, sanitized, and organized living environment will help ease anxiety and promote a more relaxed + healthy environment. 

9. Wash, dry, and fold your laundry in one sitting. YIKES. This one is hard for me (my husband is going to laugh when he reads this) To be honest, this is one of my main personal goals for the upcoming year. I hate laundry, with a burning passion, but I know I will be more relaxed if I don't have constant clean piles of laundry staring at me while I try and relax after a long day.

8. Drink more water. Water used to literally gross me out (I'm a sweet tea obsessed gal) but let's be real here- we need to drink it- and YOU probably need to drink more of it. Put down the juice, soda, and alcohol (I don't personally drink, but if you do!) and drink a glass of water in between. I'm not saying completely cut out those 

7. Go through your closet. Rummage through and take out anything that is just taking up space (I already do this every few months!) If you haven't worn it in months, or you aren't interested in the piece anymore- donate to a second hand store or gift them to a friend! Get rid of any unwanted items and fill those hangers with new and improved threads. Having a new wardrobe for the new year with current trends will make getting ready a breeze.

6. It's OK to say NO. I'll be honest, this is one I have struggled with in the past. I am a huge people pleaser, and I like to be "likeable" (don't we all?) Although, sometimes it is in our best interest to tell people.. no. In the past, I would tell people "yes" just to avoid confrontation, arguments, and to make them happy. Saying no doesn't always have to be bad- saying no to things that we aren't comfortable doing is more than okay, and we should never be pressured to be any different. Stand your ground and stick to your morals + beliefs. 

5. Stop airing your dirty laundry. Putting all of your problems on social media, or telling large groups of acquaintances your personal drama will only bite you in the end. Work out issues in private, make goals in private, and keep your relationship more private. There is nothing wrong with sharing exciting news, but posting messy screen shots/photos/statuses is anything but classy. 

4. Stop living beyond your means. Social media has contributed to ruining being appreciative of what you have. All day we see people buying new cars, designer wear, and taking lavish vacations. Realistically, 90% of us can't live that lifestyle, but will max out a credit card and snap photos all over social media trying to convince people you can. In the words of Jay Z- "You can't afford something unless you can buy it twice." Build your savings, pay off credit cards, raise your credit score, and live WITHIN your means. 

3. Do things that make you happy. Some of us have this problem, and some don't- but I know that a small portion of people need to hear this: invest in yourself and your happiness. Making sure other people are taken care of is important, but you can't truly take care of others if you aren't taking care of yourself. It's perfectly fine to be a little selfish sometimes.

2. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. LISTEN + ANALYZE before reacting. I have struggled with being impulsive and passionate in situations. We as humans have natural reactions when hearing or seeing things that make us unhappy. Something to genuinely work on this year is to HEAR what people are actually saying, TAKE TIME to give our opinions/answers, and be SLOW to anger- don't lash/yell/or say things you can not take back. 

1. Less social media, more real life. My last and number one resolution this year is to be more present. Don't get me wrong, I love social media. I love connecting with people, and sharing my personal life through photos. Yet we find ourselves sitting in a room full of people we love, staring at our phones completely oblivious to the world around us. Life is not guaranteed, and we should be spending quality time with others while we have them here- before the only way to see them is through a photo on a phone screen. 

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I hope everyone had a fun and safe New Years, and cheers to all of us to a prosperous 2019! I want to end this blog with a quote I found that I feel is perfect for entering this next year:

"Before we all go making our lofty "new year, new you" goals- let's stop for just a moment and pay tribute to the humans we already are. Because at the end of every year, you are what you do, not what you said you'd do. So sit and marvel at your life. At the grief that softened you. The heartache that wisened you. The suffering that strengthened you. Stop being so hard on yourself. You're doing better than you think you are. Despite everything, you still show up. You still smile, and you still love. You are a miracle. Be proud of this today and always." - @born.from.my.heart