217.

I have a love/hate relationship with New Year’s Resolutions.

Whenever I come up with specific resolutions they inevitably fail. So this year, I’m just not doing them.

Instead, what I’ve decided is this: Above all else, I don’t want my life to become a gigantic to-do list. 

And I’m a big list person. My planner consists of endless grocery/to-do/to-buy lists that, like any mildy OCD person, I take great pleasure in checking and crossing items off of. But what I’ve realized lately is that when I try to do that for the bigger things — the where do I want to be in 5 years and what do I need to do to get there things — it doesn’t really work.

What I want is to be happy.

What I want is to take advantage of the freedom that comes with being young.

What I want is to be okay with making mistakes, but to live with as little regret as possible. 

Part of that means that my expectations shouldn’t be about checking off a big list — they should be about what feels right.

I’m not sure where that’ll take me. But I think following my gut instincts, feeling free to take risks, and sticking to what I believe in will help me get there.

One of my favorite quotes of all time is from Truman Capote: “Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.”

I hope that 2012 will be guided by smart decisions and choices, but I want to be okay with making a few stupid ones from time to time. This might be the one point in my life when I can still afford to do that. 

Happy New Year!

xo