I have never been a big resolution-er...

But I've been thinking and wanted to share some ideas of positive changes, and how you can resolve to be the best you next year and every year.

1. Meet More People: This resolution isn't what those life coaches would call a definable "goal" because there aren't measurable amounts of people, or a defined timeline, but I think this is still a great resolution.  Because of blogging, I have forced myself to meet up with people I have never met before, go to networking events, and even put my personal thoughts and opinions out there (and lucky you - you are reading them right now).  This sense of community has made me crave new people even more, so I encourage you to get out there.  Force yourself to do things alone, or with people you have never met.  Go to a restaurant and eat there by yourself, and see what conversations happen.  You never know what, or who you will find!
2. Create: Everyone has a creative bone in them, they may just not know where.  In 2018, find an outlet, making music (or learning to play if you never have), draw, or get one of those cool adult coloring books... I seriously want one of those!  Re-decorate the house, DIY some shit, or learn to cook.  Creating can be challenging and even embarrassing - who knows what others will think of what you make, but who cares, it feels so good to make it yourself and you might be good at it too.
3. Volunteer: If you aren't already involved in any organizations that give back, it can be daunting to find something that speaks to you.  You can obviously wait until someone asks you to volunteer, or check local postings online, like volunteer match.  You can also create your own volunteer or charity event by hosting a give back event.  I love to ride at Soul Cycle and have friends who like it too, so I asked them if they would let me do a charity ride there in 2017, and it was so easy!  I paid a deposit, and after selling bikes to ride for the class, covered the cost of the deposit, as well as a few thousand dollar donation to the charity we rode for (this one was the SPCA of Chicago), and just like that the event was a success!  It was also  sooo easy to get donations from people for this good cause, and Goddess and the Baker even donated juices and healthy snacks for the riders after class.
4. Unplug: I realize the irony as I write this on my MacBook and you are probably reading it on an iPad, phone or some other mobile device, but seriously - unplug!  Challenge yourself to an hour or 2 sans technology, or *gasp* make a "no phones" rule during dinner and an hour after.  Maybe you'll use that time for something else you love and this resolution can be even more.
5. Declutter: Here is a resolution that I am making for 2018 and NEED to constantly work on, but it feels sooooo good to just get rid of stuff.  Luckily, this can also tie into resolution #3 and i guess #4 too, because it takes a lot of time, but you can find great places to donate your used things to and make a huge difference for others.  For example, other than just donating clothes, unused makeup can go to women's shelters, art or office supplies to a local school that we know is probably strapped for extra cash.  It's also great to just go through those junk drawers (which I somehow have all over my house) and organize or get rid of things.