Annual Proclamation of "New Year, New Me"

In less than 48 hours the dawn of a new era will shine upon us. 2014 will fade and recede into the darkness, along with all of our experiences of friendship, love, heartbreak, and adventure. At the cusp of this change comes a brief stillness filled with reflection. Where have I been? Where am I going? Who have I become? We create New Years Resolutions in attempt to reconfigure elements in our lives. We pull clean slates onto our laps and promise to draw new memories with people we consider close to us, and even with others that we have yet to meet.. One thing is clear: we all consider the new year as an opportunity to grow. As a realist, I do not expect to completely evolve into the type of person I emulate within a year. Of course it'd be awesome if I could become a city-slicker with chai lattes glued to my palms 24/7, Louboutins in every shape and color, and a perfect church attendance on Sundays. However, I know this cannot happen in a mere 365 days. So here is my list of reasonable goals for the oncoming calendar year! Not really looking forward to becoming a full-fledged functioning adult, but I am elated to see how this new stage of life unfolds. 

• Get a serious full-time job in Washington, D.C. 
• Attend Tomorrowland in Belgium 
• Attend Glastonbury Festival in England
• Go on an adventure with my boyfriend- aka exotic vacation
• Partake in another mission trip that is longer than a week
• Join a local Bible study 
• Run my dad's Army 10-Miler 
• Fill my fashion design sketchbook 
• Create at least one full collection/ at least 12 outfits
• Buy a Chanel purse with my own earnings!
• Donate more often to charities 
• Offer my help to NGO's or volunteer to work with the Wounded Warrior Project 
• Maybe get a puppy, if my circumstances allow it 
• Pray more than once a day/ have a more open dialogue with God
• Stress less 

I hope everyone has plans for celebrating the arrival of the new year! Whether you are nestling in at home with your family, getting dolled up and going to a house party, or taking an excursion to the clubs, I hope you all have a fantastic evening filled with nothing but smiles and laughter. Here's a toast to 2014, a year that brought me closer to God, and 2015, which will (fingers crossed) be another year of progress!