Thoughts on 26…

I don’t want to set this up as “I think 26 will be my best year yet” because for the past two years, every plan I’ve made has gone to *crap*.

Perhaps it’s the fact that our Vermont wedding went off without a hitch or that I finally feel rested and recovered from the school year from *heck* or that it was loads easier to change my name than I anticipated- either way, I’m feeling optimistic about the next twelve months.

As I enter the upper half of my twenties, there’s this daunting sense that it’s really time to get serious. I’m married now, which means there’s a whole new element to the primary relationship in my life and I really want to do marriage well, especially before kids enter the mix. I want to enjoy that newlywed stage with Ryan and I want us to remember that no matter how old our souls, we are still quite young and we should act like it. Travel is on the table, adventures that push our bodies to their limits, and even though Cody is a handful sometimes, responsibilities are fairly minimal. This next year should be fun and part of that is going to be putting myself and my new little family first. Whether that means leaving work at work or nourishing my body so I feel my best, I plan to really start being mindful about the parts of my life that directly impact me, day in and out. Mental health, nutrition, movement, sleep, leisure, purpose- they’ve all mattered up ‘til now but if I can conquer the processes to best serve these critical areas of my life, I’ll be so much better prepared to face my late twenties, early thirties, and so on.

Less planning, more doing. Staying in the moment. Not setting my expectations too high. Not feeling guilt around my non-negotiables. Keeping a record to look back on. Trying something I normally wouldn’t. Defining myself based on what I want and not who others think I should be. Chasing the things that peek my interest. Allowing myself to fail gracefully. Breathing and pausing and slowing down.

There are always ups and down- I know. I want more ups, as most do, and I don’t want my downs to bring others down. I want to hold perspective. 26 is a brand new year, 12 months, 365 days of possibility. As my grandma says, you have to “grab everything.”