First let me start by saying that I am not hating on vision boards. As an equal opportunity supporter of all things self-improvement – if you must board your visions, by alllll means. I just tend to take a more gradual, easier to swallow approach for reaching goals. Maybe it’s the Hufflepuff in me (omg I’m being such an elder millenial rn) but can’t we take it easy on ourselves?

Disclaimer: This is tongue and cheek and not actual, useful advice.

For starters, I do not say them out loud. Ohhhh no. Then they become real. Then they’re out there. For the world to criticize and hold you accountable to. Under-promise and over-deliver, now that’s the ticket!

Second, I find that for me anyway, making a change is a slow burn and must start with an internal dialog where I spend time questioning a deeply held belief or habit. I’ll slowly begin to research or ruminate on that belief when the mood strikes. Then overtime, the dialog stirs up enough…gall, hutzpah, balls (?) for me to actually take action.

Lastly, I like to downplay the result. Whether it’s a reached goal, end result, or big change, the internal satisfaction I feel from whatever I’m done is usually treat enough. Plus, if I ever slip back into my own ways or end up screwing something up, nobody is the wiser. Fiddle dee dee!

The last thing I’ll mention is that I feel FAR better once I list out all of the things I have already accomplished, rather then the other way around. So for today’s purposes, here are my recent accomplishments:

• I PROUDLY stopped using the cheap (albeit, delicious) coffee creamers and switched to the natural ones. I know it doesn’t erase the pounds of candy, Cheez-Its, and Frescas I drink…but it’s a start. Skittles followed. Then Batiste Dry Shampoo. I’m basically a homesteader at this rate.

• I have not let my grow out last longer than 4 months. This one is mostly for my mental health and for self-care purposes because I feel 10,000,000 times better when my hair looks nice.

• I have signed Clara up for activities. This probably seems so trivial to the average person, but for some reason makes me anxious (she won’t like it, something about it will be weird, etc.). We did dance class and are signed up for futsal this spring!

• After the holidays I did a TON of decluttering and got rid of things that I like but don’t need and cloud my mind. Felt amazing to purge a ton of shit that quite literally was weighing me down.

And since I consider you all close, personal friends – fiiiiine, I will let you in on a few things I am trying to work on this year. YOU’RE WELCOME.

• Get back into therapy. My previous therapist (who I loved) stopped taking insurance a couple of years ago and I haven’t been since. It’s time.
• Move my body. I am getting weak and would like to lift weights to improve my strength. The realistic version of this is not anything like the fitness influencers deadlifting in those butt-enhancing Gymshark leggings. My version looks something like doing 3 sets of 10 with 45 pounds on the leg press machine in my Nike warm-up pants from college volleyball circa ’05.
• Don’t stress about reselling. My little side hobby is so fun, but sometimes stresses me out. I’d like to have it stress me out less.
• Get an LED red-light face mask. This one’s easy. It’s really about ripping off the $400 bandaid. Which if it was for anyone else would be a non-issue, but since it’s for me is super hard. Does anyone have recommendations on these?? Promise to review here once I get one, and track my progress!

Ok that’s it for today. Happy February friends.