18 Goals For 2018

Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone had a really nice time celebrating and for some reason, I have a feeling that this year is going to be better than last. I'm already settled back into my dorm room, which is why there was not a post on Tuesday, and I am back at it. 

It's so refreshing to start the new year on a high note and for that, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has constantly supported and has enjoyed my content. I try to put my heart into all of it and I am truly so surprised I have kept it up for about five years now. I know that resolutions are sometimes far-fetched and maybe unrealistic in some cases—we may never fully accomplish them or give in once in a while. However, I think goals or even affirmations are better things to just think about as the year unfolds. Here are 18 ones I have thought of and hope will inspire all of you to make ones, as well. 

01. Worry Less 
This is a really big one for me. Mainly because I'm anxious 24/7, but I truly need to improve my mental health by not caring so much about everything that is out of my control. I hope this year I can live without having to think twice about some choices I make and just move on and get over obstacles or challenges. I waste so much time dwelling over things that end up being fine. Like getting into my first choice in colleges or just giving a speech in a class.

02. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
This one is a little bit different than the first, but coinside. There are a lot of small things that I stress over that probably won't effect me a day, a week, or even a year from now. Something as little as where things are in my room to what color my coat is, isn't something I need to care about because there are bigger things that I should be focusing on like getting a good education and connecting with friends and family.

03. Live Loosely and Have Fun
For me, letting loose and just doing spontaneuous things doesn't fit so much in my schedule at times. It shouldn't because it's sppontaneous, but sometimes I get too caught up in things and just forget to have some fun and actually live. I am jealous of people who can just start dancing in public or make last minute plans to attend some concert or trip.

04. Don't Clean as Much 
If you know me, then you know how much I love a clean space. I don't know if it's my OCD (probably), but I feel like I clean more than a normal person. Which isn't a terrible thing—I just don't want it to take over my mind, like it usually does. Cleaning is usually my stress reliever, but it shouldn't have to be.

05. Keep a Journal 
Since it is the beginning of the new year and I'm a freshman in college, I thought it would probably be best for me to write and document my experiences. I know that this year will probably fly by, so I've been writing every night and it's honestly so relaxing to just recap my day and let it all out on the pages.

06. Drink More Water
I feel like this is a given and is very popular for many resolution lists, but I honestly don't know how I went through 2017 because I was so dehydrated and forgot to drink water so many times. It will be better for me to just choose water more to drink and I won't feel as sluggish and more energized during the day.

07. Get Motivated 
I want this year to be better for me in that I am more motivated and willing to put myself out there and just do things that I maybe second guess or fear. It's really easy for me to just get comfortable and I hope that this year is when I can finally just start getting out and doing things that I normally wouldn't consider doing. Even if it's an extra yoga class or just signing up for something like applying to be an RA next year in my dorm.

08. Save More Money
I spend way too much money on crap and things that I never end up using or needing. I hope that this year I can be more frugal about what I choose to spend my money on and what I really should be saving it for. I know I want to travel and do things with people, so I think it's best to save my money for experiences. We all get caught up as consumers when there are sales and good deals, but we don't really need any of it.

09. Get Involved 
I want to get way more involved, especially now that it's my second quarter in college. I want to meet more people and just become more a part of my college community. I know opportunities will come as they may, but I want to take them and just do things.

10. Try Something Uncomfortable 
I always find something every year that makes me a little on edge. Last year I ate jellyfish and slept in a shed. There's always some type of shenanigans my friends pull, so hopefully this year I can do something different and outside my comfort zone.

11. Relax and Take a Break 
When I get into a "groove" and a routine, I usually forget to just save some time for myself. Whether it be yoga, going to the gym, watching a movie, writing, or just pampering myself every now and then. I do a pretty good job of it, but I don't want to get too overwhelmed this year either with school or even blogging so much.

12. Start the Days Fresh
I dwell on the past and things that have already happened way too much. I remember embarrassing moments, fails, mistakes, and things that don't matter and won't matter moving forward. I want to wake up everyday and just keep looking forward as each day comes. "Go with the flow," my dad always says.

13. Be Challenged
I'm at college and this point in my life to learn more about myself and the world around me. Sometimes I back off from challenges and I just want to face them and figure them out to the best of my ability. I'm already taking math and public speaking, so those alone will definitly be challenging for me, even though I have gotten through both subjects in the past.

14. Travel and Discover More
This year I have already been to so many places and discovered so much more about the city I live in. I hope this year will be better in that I will discover and go to new places I've never been to. My family and I already have a trip planned to go to Wyoming and the Grand Tetons National Park, which I am actually really excited for. I want to make it a lifetime goal to hit all states, so it'll be nice to be somewhere unknown.

15. Be Present 
A lot of my days go by like a blur and mostly just crossing things off a to-do list. I hope this year I can just take a couple steps back and actually enjoy and be aware of moments I'm in and people I'm with.

16. Connect With Old Friends
I was pretty great about visiting old friends when I was home and just catching up with people in my hometown, but this year I want to make the initiative more to keep those relationships and friendships with the ones I really care about.

17. Meet New People
I also want to continue to meet new people. With my new classes, I have already met so many new faces, so it will be fun to just keep making more friendships with people as I do new things.

18. 
I'm gonna leave this one open for just knowing that I probably with have at least a couple more goals as the year progresses. I'm looking forward to a new year and hope you all are too. I just want to be a better version of myself and have more good moments than bad, especially with what happens or what might happen this year.

I applaud any of you who also like to make goals for themselves and improvements on something they want to change about themselves or their surrounding. Do any of these relate to your goals?