Wishlist for 26

Okay, fine- my birthday is actually tomorrow. But these days I’m finding myself almost completely away from my computer on the weekends, and I figured you might be experiencing a similar trend. So we’re doing this thing a day early.

Last year I talked about how as a kid, 25 was always the age in my head that you were an adult. The irony is not lost on me that the year that I was supposed to be an adult is the only year since I officially became an adult (you know, by legal standards) that I lived at home with my parents full time.

Something about my writing style or my personality drives me to reflect on this last year and sum it up in a word. It’s been a good year, a hard year, a *blank* year. I’m going to resist this time around, just because I don’t really have strong feelings on what it has been and I don’t think that labeling it will serve me any better (see below.) So let’s just dive into it.

Dream bigger. Lately I’m realizing how much of my life has been crafted around “safe.” Brian and I are both oldest children, and we value security, even though if you asked me what my values are or my goals for my life, I’m pretty sure that word wouldn’t make it on the list. I’m not sure what this means exactly, but I want to leave some space for bigger dreaming this year.

Find that everything has a place. And if it doesn’t, I can make a place for it. I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by our stuff after over a year of living in a (somewhat) temporary living situation, and I’m tired of things not having a place. I want to be organized by creating places for the things that we must (or want) to keep.

Take things one day at a time. Focus on what can be done today. And be grateful for all the good happening in the present moment. Don’t worry about the rest.

Label less. Reflection is great for sure, but putting a label on how things are or have been isn’t necessarily getting you anywhere.

Explore new modes of self-development. This year I started doing yoga, and it’s been such a positive thing in my life. But for the longest time, I didn’t get yoga at all- I totally wrote it off as some hippy-dippy thing that wouldn’t help me get any skinnier, so… why? (See my third point from last year’s post) I’m sure there are other things that would be good for me that I’ve never really given a chance. I think meditation might be the next thing- we’ll see!

Creatively nurture relationships. I know relationships are important- if asked what’s important to me in life that would rank them at the top. But doing what it takes to maintain them doesn’t always come naturally to me. This year I want to come up with some new ways to love on the people who are important to me, especially those I don’t see all the time.

This weekend is still a little up in the air, but for the most part I’m just hanging out with family and friends. See? It’s already shaping up to be a good year.

P.S. I usually refrain from selfies (does it count if you take it with a timer?) but what can I say, it’s my annual birthday gift to me (and I feel very much like that while taking them.)

You can also check out my wishlist for 25 and my wishlist for 24.