Here we are again! This time, it's not just another start of the month where I tell you what I'm planning on accomplishing. Nope! This time, it's a completely brand new year. The start of a new year always has me reevaluating the last -- what went wrong, what went right? It's the time when I just let go of the regret or disappointment about everything that didn't pan out, and instead focus on everything that can be!
After all, we've got 365 days to do a complete 180, right? Before I get ahead of myself though, I should tell you how December went! Shall we begin?!December Goals Recap
Apply for student financial aid
Totally crossed off my list and totally stress free, financially, next semester! I really didn't want to resort to it, but I had to. I think a lot of what was holding me back was just my pride and the sense of accomplishment I got with paying for school on my own. But, the reality is, that huge chunk of change I was paying is really needed and better off in my pocket.
Have dinner with my girlfriends
I had dinner at the best hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant in town with two of my best girlfriends. We exchanged gifts over curry and spare ribs. It was so good on all levels, not to mention, it was delicious!
Start a vacation fund
I told you guys this was ambitious, which is probably why it didn't happen! *snickering* However, I chose not to go through with this goal because of an epiphany I had that sparked my mindset for 2015. So, if I had gone through it, I would have already shot down all of the goals I was setting for this month and the entire year.
So what's on the radar for January?
Unlike monthly goals in the past, I am choosing to refocus this bit of the blog.
Actually, it's not just within the blog, but with how I structure my own personal goals. I am choosing to build around a central goal this year, and every month I will work on bits and pieces of the puzzle that will complete a bigger picture. This year's central goal? Living minimally.What is living minimally?
Living minimally isn't just about having just enough or learning how to live with less. It's about living without wanting more. It's more than just a clean closet, organized work space, or open personal space.
A minimal lifestyle, the way I want to have it, is one that doesn't question why I have or hold on to things. It's about learning that you don't need anything extra to feel like you have it all.
So how am I going to do this?
January Goals: The First Steps
look through my things and ask why
If part of the ultimate goal is to stop asking why, I should start by asking that very question. Why do I have these clothes? Do I still need this in my house? Do I even use this? What is this even for? Even though I know that living minimally is more than just having a clean space, it has to start out with clearing out the excess. I've already cleared out some of my clothes, but it's time to go even further. I am going to tear my house apart. Okay, not literally. I'm just going to look through every nook and cranny of accumulated junk and see why I'm holding onto it and if it holds even an ounce of importance. If not, it's time to evaluate why I have kept it all this time and move on without it.
let go of the things i've Already lived without
As I look through my heaps of things, I will inevitably come across something I thought I've lost forever. Yes, I have that much crap at my house, so much that I sometimes find things I forgot I even had. If I've lived so long without it, it's going to go. No questions asked! I feel like this is going to be easier said than done, but I'll find a way to cope.
plan to invest in what will last
After I've finished the first phase of decluttering, I'll ask myself what is really essential to me. I will obviously have less things. Part of the goal is to eventually have enough of what it is I actually need and will use. That way, I don't end up wanting more than what I have. So, with emptying out closets, cupboards, and cabinets -- a plan to invest in quality items is a must. What will last? What will I wear for more than just a year? What do I really use in the kitchen? What is obsolete and needs replacement? This planning phase will eventually turn into the short list of goals that I will have every month.
Like a lot of goals that are set in the beginning of a new year, this one is ambitious. I'm probably in over my head, but I'm okay with that. I've been thinking about getting on track to a minimal lifestyle. I know that this will take me years to perfect, but I think it's about time that I finally get to it. After reading about other people's experiences with the minimal lifestyle, I've learned that it completely changes your outlook especially in what we should value. Not only that, but it gives you more time to focus on what really matters.
I'm really hoping that this leap of faith can get me there.
TL; DR?
December went okay. Monthly goals in 2015 are going to be focusing on a bigger overall goal -- hence, "baby steps." The overall goal for 2014 is to learn how to live minimally. The first steps are to understand why I've kept so many things. Then I'll let those things go and make a plan to move forward.