The End of a Decade
Does the end of this year feel big? Like, more significant than usual? Not since Y2K has the end of a year felt quite so momentous. Maybe it is because it is the end of a decade. But there have been other decade ends. Perhaps it is because my forties are now in the rearview mirror. But that is something personal, and it seems the widespread consensus to kick 2019 to the curb and get on with 2020.
It doesn’t matter where you stand politically; I think we can all agree this year hasn’t been great for our country. There is too much division, too much unwillingness to understand, and too much animous. I am not sure 2020 is going to make any of that better, but a reset seems like a good idea.
Endings and Beginnings
This year saw the end of the Star Wars trilogy and the end of Game of Thrones. As a major fangirl for both, I felt both excited and sad. Despite mixed emotions, storyline misses, and a few loose ends, I feel satisfied by both endings. Actually, that is how I feel overall about the end of 2019.
With the dawn of a new decade and a new year on the horizon, I am inspired to look forward. I am not an NYE resolution maker, but I am a new year goal setter. New beginnings are a great time to set goals. It makes sense why resolutions became a “thing.” This year I am taking my goal-setting very seriously, and I hope to share them with you in the next few weeks. But in the spirit of the New Year’s Resolution, here is a list of 20 things I would like to try in 2020. Call them resolutions if you must. Some are fun, and some are more serious, but all are meant to be fodder for your goal setting. I would never presume to tell you what resolutions to make. This list is just meant to inspire and amuse.
20 Things to Try in 2020
- Practice Positive Thinking – This, to me, is a practice that grows easier over time. I began this practice a few years ago, and though I am significantly better than before, negative thoughts creep in every once and a while. But like anything, the more you practice, the easier it gets. One way I do this is by thinking three positive thoughts for any negative thought that pops in my head. Give it a try. It works.
- Try Meditation – I devoted a room in my house to meditation. Yet, I still do not use it as often as I should. Connecting with my higher power is critical for living in peace. I have also wanted to try Transcendental Meditation, but being an introvert, the idea of going to a meeting where I know no one is rather daunting. This leads me to…
- Step Out of My Comfort Zone – I have long since accepted that I am an introvert, and certain things will be uncomfortable for me. In my forties, I learned to honor that side of myself and avoid situations that aren’t fun for me (parties where I only know one person, etc.). But…the big, BUT! I also want to try some of those things that make me uncomfortable. For example – TM. I may never be comfortable in a large group of people, but I don’t want that limiting my chances to learn new things.
- Exercise More Consistently – I know this sounds like a resolution, and I guess maybe it is…however, I am an all or nothing kind of girl. I work out frantically every day for weeks and then summer hits or Xmas vacation, and I sit on my ass and do nothing and find it hard to get going again. My goal is to find a balance — a routine of consistency of 3-4 times a week.
- Cook at Home More – I have to be honest. When my MIL got sick, we got in the habit of eating out, and since cooking doesn’t bring me any joy, I rarely do. We eat out a lot. Unfortunately, it is just too easy to eat too many calories this way. I want to try cooking at home more. I say try because I am not sure I can do it. But, I am committed to trying. BTW – My husband is great at picking up some of the cooking slack. He BBQ’s often.
- Read More Books – This year, I was terrible at reading. I started this blog, and somehow, between that and a budding addiction to CNN, I just didn’t read enough this past year. My reading list grew exponentially, and my progress on the list slowed to a crawl. I genuinely believe to be a good writer, you need to be a good reader, and therefore, I am committed to reading more in 2020. First up, Running with The Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. You can follow me on GoodReads at StyleDahlia.
- Wake Up at a Consistent Time – Most of my life, I was an early-riser. But, kids, age and blah, blah, insert any number of excuses, I no longer wake up at a consistent time. Studies show that if you are consistent with your sleep pattern going to bed at the same time and rising at the same time, you will feel more rested long term and who doesn’t want to feel more rested? If I am more consistent with my wake up time, I know I will be more consistent with my workouts.
- Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – Almost everything is small stuff. I often get bogged down in the minutia. I tend to obsess over the slightest thing. A diagnosis of anxiety & depression in my forties and medication helped, but my nature is prone to worry. The best advice I have heard on this is: If you won’t remember in five years, don’t worry about it for more than five minutes.
- See More Movies – Before kids (BK), I loved going to the movies. I would see every film up for an award and most others. However, I don’t do scary. I don’t care how good Silence of the Lambs is; it isn’t worth nightmares for months to watch. My imagination and visual recall are just too strong to put those images in my brain. Anywhoo, I somehow went years only seeing a few movies in the theatre and seeing only the few that made it On Demand. But, I have been getting back to the movies lately, and I reconnected with my passion for seeing films on the big screen. I am going to indulge that desire more this year.
- Wear New Outfits – Even though I am a fashion blogger, and my job is to create outfits and follow fashion, I often get stuck in a rut with individual pieces. I wear the same sweater with the same shirt and pants. I have my go-to outfits, and I often go to them! It is easy, and when you are in a rush, quicker. This year I want to utilize the clothes in my closet more effectively. I plan to try new combinations and share them here with you. I think this will be beneficial to those of you looking to minimize your wardrobe and live more sustainably.
- Take a Girls Trip – Can you relate? My girlfriends and I rarely make time to take trips together. It is a valuable time away from the hustle and bustle of life. Men are excellent in terms of this self-care ritual, but women, not so much. This year I vow to be better. It has been far too long since a dedicated girls trip with some of my friends. I am making that happen this year.
- Sing in The Shower – Or car or kitchen or wherever you feel like singing. I used to sing along to my music all the time and somehow got out of the habit. Maybe because I have much less time alone these days, it doesn’t matter if you are a good singer (I am not), but I find rocking out to your favorite tunes makes me happy. Thank you – The Greatest Showman soundtrack for reminding me of this fact.
- Drink More Water – My first recommendation for any affliction in our family is drink more water. Headache = drink water. Sore muscles = drink water. Fatigue = drink water. You get the drift. Yet, somehow I don’t drink as much as I should most days. Of course, there is research on both sides of this argument. Some say water makes no difference, and others saying it is integral to health. Either way, I know for myself when I drink more water, I feel better and eat less.
- Clean Out My Sock Drawer – I know it seems rather small. But that is the point. I tend to jump too far into big a project and get easily overwhelmed. I leave the project halfway done and move on to something else. Cleaning is the one place; I swear I have ADD. I plan to tackle smaller projects until completion. Go room by room until I get fully organized in that room and then move on. I recently tackled my linen closet, and it felt so good. I donated items we don’t need and organized everything else.
- Tell People I Love Them – I am pretty good at this, but there is always room for saying it more. I grew up with a mother who never mentioned it, and I decided I would be different. I tell my husband and kids every day and often multiple times a day. However, I want to tell my close friends more often how important they are to me. I am so lucky to have some amazing friends, and I want them to know I love them.
- Try Something New – Try new food, a new hairstyle, a new attitude (no not really, well maybe, but I hear Patti LaBelle in my head). I recently bought some new butterfly clips to try a new hairstyle and maybe save myself from daily blowdries. Similarly, I want to give Thai food a try again after years of avoiding it because of indigestion. I have been craving Pad Thai. I am ready to mix it up a bit in 2020. Try something new weekly during the year.
- Get Involved – If we learned anything from the 2016 election, it is that EVERY. VOTE. COUNTS! We do not have the luxury to sit back and hope everything will be ok. I feel compelled to get out there and support the candidates that I think share my vision of the future.
- Write Daily – Even though I am a blogger, I find writing daily tricky. I tend to write in fits and starts completing a ton of projects at once and then avoiding the task for a while (Mmm…I see a pattern here). I plan to write for a fixed time each day. I believe in the long term; it will increase my creativity and improve my writing.
- Give Me a Break – I am super hard on myself. I overanalyze my behavior, my clothes, and my work. The desire to be perfect often prevents me from even trying. I have had moments like that with my blog. I compare myself to women who have been blogging for years, and I know I shouldn’t. The truth is, I need to give myself a break. My goal to make a business of this blog is lofty and requires lots of hard work and learning new things. I will make mistakes. I have made mistakes. My goal is to learn from them, not repeat them and move on.
- Don’t Make a Similar List Next Year – In all seriousness, writing all of this down makes it all seem so daunting. Truth is most of these are reminders of long term goals I have set for myself and somehow let slip. I am using 2020 and my 50 years of life as a reset on what is important to me. The goal is not to have as many of these on this list next year because they have become a seamless part of my daily routine.
I thought a list of 20 things to try in 2020 would be easy. When I sat down to write (in one of those spurts), I intended to keep this list light and funny, but as I started to write, I realized I wanted to try some serious shit this year. Growth is always one of my long term goals, and recognizing where I have succeeded, where I have fallen short, and where I still need to go is integral to moving forward. My 2020 list is meant to inspire you (and me) to try something new. Some things will be hard and require practice, and some will feel like putting on your favorite pajamas. Both are worth investing time and energy towards trying.
In my 12 step program, we believe in progress, not perfection. Any forward progress is worth celebrating. Freeing myself from the need to be perfect has allowed me to try new things, celebrate small victories, and continue moving forward. So in that spirit, give one, some or all a try. Are any of these already on your list? I would love to hear what tops your resolutions list. Drop a comment below.
I would love it if you followed me on Instagram for my everyday outfits or on Pinterest for my fashion inspiration. StyleDahlia is for fashion-minded women in the prime of their life. We delight in the beauty of every day, and we hope you will join us on our journey. Happy Shopping Dahlias.
