the belated new year's post

I mentioned before that I tend not to believe in New Year's resolutions, but that this year's circumstances warranted new beginnings in many areas of my life. That in mind, I did make some resolutions, and I would like to share them.

1. Make time for me. Take care of myself. Two things to which I have never devoted myself in my whole life. I have always been an incredibly driven, committed, responsible person, and I devote myself to my friends, family, and my endeavors tirelessly. But in the midst of taking care of everyone and everything else in my life, my own well-being has frequently gone untended. This year, I vow to change that. Of course I will still take care of my loved ones and my pursuits, but I'm making myself someone worthy of care when I need it as well.

2. Lose 15 pounds. Sounds shallow, but I have legitimate reasons. Just trust me.

3. Eat more and more often. I know, I know, this usually results in an opposite reaction to the desired one mentioned above, but not in my case. On average, I eat about 850-900 calories a day, and I can go up to 8 hours in between snacks or meals--old habit left over from my days of hardcore ballet, hardcore conservatory studies and hardcore academics. I have always been able to get by without feeling hungry on that much, and when I get really busy, I just don't think about eating. It's low on my priority list most of the time. But in the interest of continuing to maintain a healthy, active, energetic lifestyle, this is something that needs to happen. The doctor says it should help with the weight too, interestingly enough.

4. Spend more time with photography. As much time as I spend now, it is never, never, never enough. I want to do this every day forever. It's like my therapy.

5. Spend more time with family and good friends. There is nothing more important in the world, and I've been feeling the need to spend less time with trivial, transitive things and more time with the things that are really meaningful in this life.

6. Be more adventurous, take healthy risks, try everything once. Every day is a special occasion, don't postpone life.

7. Show people who I am, and show them how important they are, how worthy, how loved. There is never any reason to treat anyone with disrespect or disinterest, and I am devoting my energy to a relentless philosophy of passion and compassion.



8. Oh, and stop doing that weird thing I do with my teeth. Enough said.