The Year of More and Better

I'm not an advocate of New Year's resolutions. I didn't come across the concept until my late teens, and I never got into the habit of it. Still, that's not to say that I don't have any goals for the new year. Just like a new season or a new day, I see the new year as a new beginning filled with endless possibilities and opportunities. Seeing as this particular new year coincides with a new stage in my life, I spent a good amount of time thinking about what I'd like to accomplish during the next 12 months. I don't have concrete goals - like many advise - but the goals that I have set are ones in which even a little progress will be noticeable. They are also at a midway point between doable and challenging. This year seems to have arrived with perfect timing, just when everything is ready for them to come to fruition, and because of that I'm more excited than ever for a new calendar on the wall.

• Image via Elise Blaha / I fully intend on painting this myself and hanging it above my desk as a constant reminder •

1. Dream and Do. I have lots of big dreams, and smaller dreams to, many of which are written down in lists that fill pages and pages with everything from recipes I want to cook, crafts and handmade projects I want to tackle, all the way to trips I'd like to go on. That being said, unfortunately I'm also the kind of person who rarely follows through with her lofty plans and dreams. So I'd like for this year to be the one in which I actually get up and do the things I dream about.

2. Get Fit. One thing that I haven't ever done well is staying active all the time. I've been lucky that I haven't needed to exercise but sadly, I only sometimes had the desire to do it. Still, I know that getting healthy is not restricted to the food I eat and that any progress I make in that area will not be as meaningful if I don't add exercise to it. I've looked into many options that seem enjoyable to me - yoga, tennis, ballet, pilates, the list goes on - but so far, I haven't managed to stay committed to any of them. So, in 2013, I'm determined to find those activities that click best with me and my schedule and practice them regularly.

• Image via Oh So Lovely Vintage •

3. Be Social. Between being in school, doing homework and having a very long commute each way, there wasn't much time for anything else, so many things were pushed to the side, and cultivating friendships was one of them. Now that school is behind me, I think it's the perfect opportunity to start spending more time with the people I care for and enjoy being with.

4. Document Life: write more & take more pictures. I never really kept a journal and I haven't taken pictures often either. With this year announcing itself to be quite exciting and eventful, I want to have a reminder of what my days are like because, looking back at my life, there are many wonderful memories that I can remember, but I'm sure there are just many - if not more - that I can not.

Here's to a great start to 2013!