Chit Chat: Live Better

As we are entering in the last week of January are you still on tract with keeping your resolutions? Did you opt out of setting resolutions this year?

I shared some thoughts on resolutions a couple weeks ago. I spent some time over the week evaluating my current standing with my 2015 resolution. In 2014 I aspired to be kinder and this year my resolution is to live better. To accomplish my goal for this year I plan to break down having a better quality of life throughout the year into doable steps.

Currently I am working toward:

Trying new foods. I am a notoriously picky eater. Combine that with being a vegetarian and I know I cause a headache for friends when they are planning meals that I have been invited to. Not to mention it makes things as simple as eating out kind of difficult. To make this worse it isn't even really that I do not like these foods, it is that most foods I have never even tried. How do you get to my age and have never ate a pear? This year I am going to try new foods (concentrating on those that are nutrient rich). I had originally decided that I would try 20 foods this year but after having 5 in just the first few weeks of the year I removed a number from this goal and I am going to pick up a few new things each time I buy groceries.

Focus in on my style. I do not know if it is because of stress or because I'm not really happy with my job but I have become lazy when it comes to getting dressed in the mornings. I hate this and I am really surprised that this is a bad habit I have fallen into. I love fashion and clothes. Plus, when I love what I am wearing I feel better about myself and my total outlook is more positive. Also I have always heard dress for the job you want not the job you have.

Travel some place new. Last year I was lucky enough to take a few different vacations but they were all to places I have been before. This year I plan to expand my horizons a little and travel somewhere new. I haven't decided where yet but I will be researching options in the next few months.

Read more books. I read a lot but it mostly magazines, newspapers, and blogs. This year I want to read more books. Starting a book club last year has definitely helped with this but I want to kick it up another notch this year. Here are some books on my current reading list. Most of these books are for fun but I would love to also read more books that teach me something, change the way I look at something, or improve my life. Do you have any life changing book suggestions for what I should read?

Get out more. As an introvert it is so easy for me to get into a routine of staying home and being perfectly happy. I like socializing and going places but I also like staying home (and alone time). I am not someone who gets bored. In fact I cannot remember a time I felt truly bored so being home and periods of having no social engagements on my calendar has never really been a problem for me but being social and building relationships is important for health. This year I am going to make plans more often (and not cancel them). Next weekend Jessica and I are going out of town for a little shopping trip and to meet friends to see a movie. I have tickets in a couple months for the ballet. I have gotten together with some friends and we have purchased tickets for a board game convention (a little nerdy but should be a lot of fun). I have also enrolled in an art class. I can officially say progress is being made on this goal. I posted more about being a social butterfly here.

Stop wasting energy. I have always felt like I had some kind of obligation or responsibility to do things I do not want to do. This year I want to say no more often. I do not want to waste time and energy on things I do not like. I do not plan on engaging in activities I have no interest in or spending time with people who do not make my life better. I want to spend this year focusing on things I love and enjoy. Life's too short for bad food, bad books, and bad people.

Breaking a large goal into smaller steps feels good and I can easily note the accomplishments I have made. If you have some resolutions you are still struggling with step back and see if you can break it down into smaller actionable steps.

via: Abercrombie and Fitch Lookbook