How do you celebrate the new year? Is it “new year, new me” or business as usual? Personally, I’m all about the resolutions. But it’s not just a January thing for me- I make goals all throughout the year and edit them as necessary. It may seem extreme, but I have monthly, quarterly/semi-annual, and yearly goals. I like to know where I’m going and to plan for how I’m going to get there. So while I’m not big on the “New Year’s resolution” thing, I do use this time to re-evaluate my plans. My goals range from my personal life, to my career, and of course beauty/style. A few things I hope to accomplish this year in that area:
- Achieve waist length hair. This is completely doable towards the end of the year, but it’s not going to happen with the way I’ve been treating my tresses. No more going a week without moisture, no more half-detangling, no more ignoring my fairy knots.
- Continue working on clearing my skin. I’ve fought acne my entire life. At one point, I was resigned to the fact that I’d have bad skin for years, but now that I’ve found successful and cheap natural remedies, I see clear skin is possible for me. Consistency is key here. I know what to do, I just need to make sure I take the time to do it.
- Stop leaving the house in sweatpants. ‘Nuff said.
- Exfoliate my body 2 to 3 times per week. My skin changes so drastically with a little dry brushing. It’s soft, smooth and glowing. Again, the key is consistency.
- Refill my closet. A few months ago, I tossed out anything in my closet that was ill-fitting or that I hadn’t worn in at least a year. That left me with a few pairs of jeans and club dresses (which is a major contributer to my 3rd goal). I’ve gotten lazy.
- How to fix? Force myself out to the thrift stores at least once a month, and keep an eye out for end of the season sales from my favorite online stores coming up soon.
Some may think that planning in so much detail is silly, but I love the sense of direction and control it gives me. So, if you’re making new year’s resolutions, here’s my tip: know the difference between a goal and a dream.
A goal is something you can control. If success of a goal is dependent on other’s actions, it’s merely a dream. Saying you want a promotion at work is nice, but it’s not entirely up to you whether you get one- it’s up to your superiors. It’s merely a dream. To say, I’m going to finish my degree to make me look more attractive for the next promotion, is all on you- that’s a goal. Make a plan, and then figure out how you’re going to get there.
What are your resolutions for 2015?
Dream. Achieve. Repeat 
Those are some great new years resolutions! I find I always want to grow my hair out too but by the time it gets past my shoulders I hate the it drapes around my face and I feel the need to cut it. So I hope you have better luck than I do. One of my new years resolutions is to become a better cook.