Good morning, everyone! The clean slate of the new year usually makes me feel anxious, partly because all the planning in the world won’t help me know what’s coming ahead. In the last couple of years, I’ve tried to embrace that unknown future as though it is filled with possibility and opportunity. I’m hoping I can stick with that little bit of optimism as 2018 begins because it was difficult to maintain through the crazy things happening in 2017.
There are things I learned the hard way this year–like avoiding the news until after I’ve had coffee (because there is always something going so wrong that I think the world is going to fall apart) and not checking my work email after I get home. There are things I learned unexpectedly–like taking a chance to do something I love, no matter the time commitment, is always worth it. There are things others have seen in me this year that surprised me, like being told my fashion sense is “trendy” or people suddenly deciding my voice is lovely or realizing how much I procrastinate on accomplishing things that scare me.
When I was in NYC last January, I saw Wicked by myself. I definitely recommend it.
I took a lot of crazy chances in 2017. I auditioned for a play for the first time in a decade; I auditioned for The Voice. I went on several road trips by myself, like a trip to Austin, Texas, in May or my trip to Nashville, Tennessee, for Con of Thrones. I went on a few dates. I bought a car. I moved into a 300-square-foot house. I walked through NYC by myself to see a Broadway play.
So really, most of my current goals for 2018 involve keeping up the trend I’ve started without realizing it. I want to see more plays. I want to travel. I want to be okay when I fail auditions or get rejected by magazines/agents. I want to stop being surprised when people want to spend time with me. I want to be safe and comfortable in my own skin.
Usually, I have a habit each year I would like to cultivate, like how I wanted to start being more mindful about making healthy choices in 2016. These habits, once I create them, become things I don’t even have to think about, and then the next year I add on another. For 2018, I want to start waking up a little bit earlier… and not being so grumpy about it.
For those that have never had the pleasure (and trust me, be thankful), I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. Talking to me before I’ve had coffee is a very unwise idea. And despite the fact that I’ve had the same job, the same work schedule, for nearly two years, it is still a battle to get up every morning. I find other people’s morning routines interesting and involved and inspiring, but my mornings mostly involve prying myself out of bed and yelling at my cat. I want that to change.
This year, I’m hoping to document my journey to reach a “good morning” state. I’ll be inviting friends and family to tell you about their magical routines, trying new habits, and generally trying to not be grumpy along the way. A new post will be live each Monday morning, and hopefully that will give us both something to look forward to as each week begins.
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you’ll be back to check in on me (and hold me accountable) next week!
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