Can you believe 2018 is already here?! These past few months have whizzed by so quickly and I don’t think I’ve registered that we’re starting a new year already :O My time in SE Asia has really changed my perspective and outlook on life, and I want 2018 to push me forward and help me succeed personally and professionally. I’m sharing 7 habits I’d like to begin for the new year and hope that I can finally stick to them this time around hehe. Enjoy!

1. Make my bed every morning.
   I read somewhere that people who don’t make their beds are more driven in the workplace and have better things to do than to waste time making their beds, and as much as I’d like to agree with that, I think doing one small organizational thing in the morning can set the tone for the day.
2. Read before bedtime.
   I am a chronic social media addict, and I used to track the number of hours I’d use my social media apps…it was pretty scary. For the new year, I want to set aside my phone at night and just get back into reading a good book to end my day.

   

3. Practice meditation at least 1x a day.
   I have heard the benefits of meditation for managing stress and anxiety, and promoting relaxation and a healthier lifestyle. There are plenty of apps to help you get into meditation, such as Headspace! If you’re short on time, there are meditations that are as short as 1-5 minutes.
   
4. Purchase responsibly.
   Because we live in a developed country, it’s easy to take for granted our ability to buy things on a whim. We often buy fast fashion when something catches our eye and we don’t consider whether we’ll still love it when years pass. I’ve really cut back on shopping at the quick and cheap retail stores because
   • I don’t want to own a million articles of clothing and not wear them later on
   • cheap clothes wear out and don’t last AKA their quality usually sucks
   • many of the clothes are not produced responsibly
5. Cook at least 3x a week.
   When I was in Cambodia, I never had a fully functional kitchen to work with for over three months! I didn’t realize how much I missed cooking and being able to be creative in the kitchen and make things up as I go and surprise myself by the flavor profile of my dishes. It brings me joy to make something that others can eat 🙂 Also, I have cookbooks gifted by my friends that have been dying to be used: Vegan, Jack’s Wife Freda,  But I Could Never Go Vegan!
   
6. Embrace creativity.
   When I was younger, I used to take art classes in and out of school, and thought it was kind of a chore…but as I grew up, I realized that I did enjoy when I would make some semi-decent pieces and received positive feedback for them! Now, I’m not limited to just a paint canvas or sketch book, but I like to bullet journal and blog as another way to share my creativity with the world and with you! 🙂
7. Work on my handwriting.
   In my immediate family, I supposedly have the “best” handwriting, but that’s only when I’m trying. When I am in a rush to take notes in class or jotting down information from a phone call, it can quickly go downhill to start looking like scribbles on a piece of paper. Bullet journaling has given me the opportunity to be more conscious of how I write, and to make improvements when I see that changes can be made 🙂 I just need to keep up with it regularly and see the transformation over the year!

Thanks for reading! I hope that by sharing my 2018 goals that I will stick to it and maybe inspire some of you to set some goals for yourself 🙂 What changes would you like to make for the new year? Comment below!