Hi everyone, it’s been a while! Let me start by saying, this is by far my favorite post I’ve ever written! I had so much fun writing this, and I hope you enjoy it is much as I do! Anyway, I hope you all had a great Holiday, as well as a great start to 2016! 2015 was a year filled with many amazing things, however I know 2016 is going to be even better! Throughout the past year, I learned a lot and I discovered a lot of things about myself. I wanted to take the time to share with you some things I learned in 2015, and also some “resolutions” for 2016. With the new year comes 365 new opportunities!
- Get organized. I am the type of person where I have to have my life planned out to the exact minute, and I use my Lilly Pulitzer planner and my Erin Condren life planner. I’ll admit, sometimes my planning can go a bit overboard! But honestly there is no better feeling than knowing exactly what’s going on, especially when you have a lot going on.
- Take care of yourself. Unfriend/unfollow the negative people who bring you down, because you are better than that. No one should be in your life if they aren’t impacting you in a positive way. With that said, take it easy on yourself. We all assess every single flaw, but remember how beautiful, intelligent, and talented you are!
- Write it down. Every night I write down three positive things about my day in my journal. Even if you have a bad day, try to come up with something positive. Reflecting on the positive moments instead of the negative ones will help your overall mindset, and might even make you smile!
- Exercise (and enjoy it). If you hate a specific exercise (like cardio), then don’t even do it! There are so many fun ways to exercise while still getting in a great workout! To be honest I hate lifting weights more than anything, so I do a lot of other strength building exercises that I really enjoy! I think we all make the resolution to “work out” every year, and you’ll definitely see the best results if you’re enjoying what you’re doing!
- Let go. This is one of the hardest things for me to do. I am someone who holds grudges for far too long, and I become upset about things that happened years ago. However, this was something I worked on a lot in 2015, and I’m definitely going to continue it in 2016. The past is the past for a reason, and it’s more important to focus on the amazing future you’re going to have.
- Don’t stress over uncontrollable things. Bad things will happen sometimes, but it’s okay! Maybe you failed an exam and it feels as if life is over. It’s not, I promise! You tried your best, and sometimes things don’t go as planned. Make an effort to meet with your professor and talk about it, and study like crazy for the next one. Don’t let uncontrollable things define your life, because everyone messes up once in a while!
- Take road trips with friends/loved ones. Take a day or a weekend, and get away from it all! Make an amazing playlist and take a road trip to somewhere you want to go! Whether it’s one hour, or 12, go explore and make incredible memories! I have a 14.5 hour road trip with my boyfriend coming up very soon, and I’m honestly so excited!
- Disconnect. I probably sound like a broken record by now, but seriously. Get off of social media, and enjoy life and those around you! Leave your phone in your bag when you’re on a date or with friends, and go charge it when you’re at home with loved ones. There’s nothing worse than sitting with someone, and both of you are staring at a screen not talking.
- Eat clean. You only have one body, take care of it. Don’t fill it with processed, unhealthy food where you can’t even pronounce half of the words on the label. Making homemade food, and eating clean is so important and it’s something I live by. Yes occasionally I cave into McDonald’s all day breakfast or a dessert from Sweetie-licious, but for the most part I eat pretty cleanly. I also track my calories and meals on MyFitnessPal, which definitely helps if you’re getting into clean eating!
- Say “yes” more. There are so many things in 2015 that I wish I would have said yes to, and that is definitely one of my goals for 2016! Like Tina Fey once said, “just say yes and you’ll figure it out afterwards”!
- Start saving money. My saving habits are actually depressing. I am the first one to blow every cent of money I have when I go shopping, and my parents, boyfriend, and friends have lectured me on it many times! So my biggest goal for 2016 is to actually save my money and create a “savings chart” like most people had in like 5th grade!
- Step outside of your comfort zone. When it comes to Friday nights, there I am in my apartment wrapped up in a blanket watching Vampire Diaries literally all night. I’m definitely more of an introvert, and quite honestly I’m pretty awkward with other people. My best friend is actually going to help me (by my request) be more social and act more like a college student. I’m pretty outgoing when it comes to everything else, but being a social person and going out is something I need to work on!
- Have girl’s nights. Make drinks and dessert, put on chic flicks (or scary movies), and spend time with the girls! Laugh, share stories, and talk about life with each other! My friends are my soulmates, and I love every moment spent with them! I have a girl’s night coming up next week with five of my great friends, and I hope we can have more nights together in 2016!
- Find the good in every day. Life is so beautiful and amazing, and sometimes it’s easy to forget that. Find something that makes you happy every single day! Whether it’s the sunrise/sunset, birds chirping, a fresh snowfall, the sound of waves, or the smell of the sea! Each day holds something new for you to discover!
- Dress for yourself. Being in college, my go to outfit is a pair of lululemon leggings, rain boots or Uggs, an oversized Delta Zeta/GVSU crew neck, no makeup, and a half pony. When my sophomore year began, I decided to actually start dressing nicer to class. Most days this was a struggle since I’m a fan of 8 am classes, and it’s definitely something I’m going to work on this year! I literally have no one to impress since my boyfriend goes to a different college two hours away, but I personally want to dress nicely for myself. Wearing a cute outfit that you know you look great in will put you in such a great mood, and you’ll look completely put together!
- Be spontaneous. Go get ice cream (or sorbet in my case) at 11 pm with your best friend, or decide last minute that a weekend getaway is exactly what you need! Life is too short to have everything planned out, which is something I need to listen to. The most fun moments and greatest memories happen from being spontaneous!
- Love yourself and those around you. You are your biggest critic and your biggest self motivator. Love yourself through all of your flaws, and stay humble through all of your perfections. Radiate positivity and love throughout your body, and touch everyone’s life in a positive way! Fall in love with your life, and fall in love with someone who makes your life complete! You’re loved by so many people, and you’re so important to them!
I hope 2016 is everything and more for all of you, and I wish you all the best!
xo, Tessa
