Thoughts At One In The Morning: Happy New Year! Let's Talk 2020 and New Beginnings

Happy New Year! *throws confetti*

Yay! It's 2020 and I'm ecstatic that the new year is beginning. New years always feel like they bring new possibilities, whether or not they really do. It really is all mindset and you can start anytime, but there's just something about watching the ball drop, singing "Auld Lang Syne", and kissing your significant other that feels like you're getting a fresh start.

So, brief story time! I wrote most of this post, then deleted everything except the above paragraph. Why? It sounded boring and everything in it was kind of a repeat of last year. And in all honesty, that's the last thing I want to do on the first day of the new year: talk about the past. The past is important, we learn from it and have cherished memories from it, but in some cases it's better to look forward. In this case, I didn't want to think about my 2019 failures (of which there were a few). Instead, I want to step into the new year with new eyes and a new outlook.

What's in store for me in 2020?

First and foremost, I want to take care of and improve myself. If I'm being completely honest, I can be a chaotic mess some days. I spent a lot of years dwelling on negativity and struggling with my temper, and while I know I've gotten better with regard to both I still have a long ways to go. Taking a moment to think before reacting will not only help with relationships but also with my own mental health.

Ever since I lost my job in late spring, I've gotten lazier than usual. This hasn't been good for my health, physical or mental. Working from home has been good in some ways, but also made it easier for me to get distracted and sit around instead of moving around. There's Netflix, Hulu, and now Disney Plus... not to mention the constant flow of new posts on social media. It's not going to be easy to cut back on these things, but if I can find healthy and smart alternatives I can regain a lot of lost focus.

Near the end of 2019 I began meditating again as well as incorporating brief mini workouts. Both of these things have already improved my mindset and my energy. My newfound energy will suit me well as I have a lot that I'd like to accomplish in this new year.

Something that's been weighing on me is the debt I've accumulated in the last handful of years. It's my fault for #1 relying on credit and #2 not getting a job that paid the bills better. Live and learn, you know? I came up with a plan to get everything paid off and paid down in 2020, so that's a huge thing I'm taking on.

My husband and I would like to take at least a weekend trip somewhere this year. We haven't decided where or when yet, but we have the possibilities in mind. We're choosing between Chicago and Philadelphia since there's lots we each want to see in both cities.

Word of the Year...

I went through countless lists, reading over potential words to be my word of the year. Many of them spoke to me, so I kept writing more and more down. In the end, I came up with over 20 words. While they were all important to me, only one can be my primary word of the year. The others will be there to complement it.

Drumroll please...

My word of the year is...

Seems kind of heavy-handed, choosing the word RECLAIM at the beginning of the year and beginning of a new decade, but it fits everything I'm wanting to do and be in 2020. I like the idea of reclaiming my life, starting over in some aspects, rediscovering who I am and learning who I am.

-----