On New Year’s Eve, my friend Molly told me that she has started referring to working out as “writing a love letter to yourself” because “that’s what you’re doing; telling your body that you love it.” I like that. 

At 4 o’clock this afternoon I picked up my sister who was coming home from a weekend trip to OSU with friends and she asked me why I was wearing high heels. I told her it was New Year’s Day and I had to look fancy. 

I read this list from Gala Darling, check it out: 10 Fantastic Ways to Get Ready for 2012!

I’ve been thinking about the new year all day long, as most probably have and I’ve been journaling like crazy the most random things. I didn’t make resolutions, but I’ve made a lot of lists and things regarding how I want 2012 to go, goals I want to accomplish, and things I have to do to make them happen. Among them is a list of things I want to practice in 2012:

• unplugging from ALL things electronic (cell phone, iPod & Kindle included) - minimum 2 consecutive hours in a day (when I am NOT sleeping)
• budgeting & using cash rather than credit ($40 a month for eating out, $30 on thrift shopping, $150 for gas/toiletries/groceries; $20 alcohol; I know this seems small, but when I am at school it is plenty) - I used to do this and do it well, but I’ve gotten lazy lately. 
• eat more salad, drink more tea, drink more water; eat less bread, drink less coffee, drink less alcohol, eat less milk chocolate; gomeatless as much as possible
• more pleasure reading - minimum 15 minutes per day
• more (free) writing - minimum 15 minutes per day
• more consistently writing love letters to myself - 4x per week, 1 hour per day
• afternoon walks to get sunlight & fresh air - minimum 15 minutes per day, rain/snow/hail/ice storm be damned
• be more aware of plastic pervading our lives & trying to reduce my contact/consumption/purchase of plastic products
• regularly scheduled de-cluttering sessions - possibly monthly, with the question in mind, “have I used/touched/wore/thought of this in the last six months?
• not letting things pile up: it’s amazing how little time and effort it takes to keep things clean/organized if you do something, like hang your jacket in the closet, as soon as you think of it/walk through your door. 
• spend more time looking fancy - even if it doesn’t seem like there is much of an occasion for it
• driving in high heels (this is really hard!)