that girl allison

I’ve always thought New Years resolutions are stupid, and I’ve never written any but I felt the urge to do one this year so I did. I spent last night at two apartment parties for two different sets of friends. They were both great parties; the first more mellow than the second. My champagne intake was way too high, and I ended up making out with a guest at the second party. That’s something I haven’t done in quite a long time, and not something I’d like to repeat. Next year remind me to skip the champagne. Overall, it was a good New Years Eve.

1. Play more guitar. My practicing has gotten a bit shoddy and I need to get back on schedule and practice at least 4-5 days a week. This includes practicing scales - which are awfully boring but good for technique and learning how to play better in general. Maybe I should also learn how to play songs by bands other than Green Day, aka expand my repertoire.
2. Continue to go to yoga 3+ times a week, while also practicing at home. I also need to stretch daily. 
3. Meditate daily. There’s a five minute morning meditation I can practice or a 20 minute meditation I can do at night before I go to bed (which I usually do anyway).
4. Develop this blog and write more. I’m not sure what direction to take it in, but I definitely want to write more. 
5. Take more pictures. I already take a ton of photos, but I want to learn how to use my DSLR better.
6. Cook new recipes. I always cook the same kinds of recipes, or I make them all taste the same in the end. If I don’t like how it tastes, I just throw a bunch of lemon on it and POW, it tastes good. Anyways, less of that.
7. Lose another 10lbs. I’ve lost 11-12lbs in the last year, so another 10 would be nice. 
8. Get a raise and/or a new job. I am thankful for my job, and my boss is great, but it’s not what I want to do and I’m starting to feel stuck and unappreciated. And if I can’t find a new job, then I’m going to make myself indispensable at my current job so I don’t have to worry about being let go.
9. Whenever I date someone new, I’m going to try not to hold the things that have happened with guys I’ve dated in the past against the new ones. I’ll try to give them a clean slate. I’m going to try to stop saying things like “men are assholes,” because not all of them are (just the ones I’ve chosen to go out with). I’m not going to always been waiting for the end of things. 
10. Volunteer. I’m thinking with BC/EFA, another theatre company, or Rooftop Farms in Greenpoint.
11. Do more things alone. I feel like I’m too reliant on my friends for 24/7 support and attention. 
12. Do things because I want to, or not do things because I don’t want to. Not because of anyone else’s reasons.
13. Read more. I feel like I fell off the Reading Wagon this year.
14. Get hobbies that don’t include going out to eat and drink. Those two things are great, but they’re costly and can oftentimes be unhealthy. There’s a ton of shit to do in this city so I should start getting out and doing them. 
15. Let things go. I’m beating myself up over having drunkenly made out with a stranger at a New Years Eve party. I’m making it into a bigger deal than it is (who hasn’t done this?! all of my friends are asking) and I have a propensity to worry intensely about things that have happened in the past or things that I think might have happened, but deep down I know they didn’t (for instance: did I sleep with this guy last night?! No. I know I didn’t, but it’s still on my mind!). I need to give myself permission to let this shit go and not keep stressing myself out about it. This will be the hardest thing on this list to do.

I think 15 is enough. I don’t think there’s anything else either. I briefly meditated this morning and resolved (okay, one more) to not drink as much next New Years. In fact, I might stay home altogether. Happy new year everyone!