Jan 2

Jan 2 Beyond the Decade: A Moment of Self-Reflection

Happy New Year! I always love the buzz and excitement of new goals and new beginnings during the new year. Nothing excites me more than a fresh 2020 calendar just waiting to be filled.

We rang in the new decade quietly this year. Just us and our dog (sorry, Edgar) in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The solitude has given us plenty of time for reflection and planning and I'd like to share a little bit of those musings with you. That's what a blog is for, right?

Reflections on the Past Decade

I would unquestionably state that this decade has been my most formative, with a significant amount of growth and self-acceptance in the year of our lord, 2019. I began the year with more stability than I’ve ever really known – no new school, no new city, no new state, no new house, no new job, no new friends… you get it. With this lack of big change, I cleared a lot of brain space to really reacquaint myself with, well, myself.

So what did I discover? I learned how much of my energy and happiness comes from my close friendships. I jokingly say my goal for 2020 is “no new friends”, but really that means no people who drain my juice. When I spend time with or chat with my girlfriends and our best couple friends, I leave feeling full. Sometimes it comes from pure joy and laughter. Sometimes it comes from conversations that challenge the status quo and push me to be better. Sometimes it comes from simply knowing I am loved. No matter the content of those gatherings or even simple texts messages, they fill up my cup and I am a better person because of them. So say gooooooodbye to people who drain your juice in the new year. And lift up and say thanks to your MVPs, because we all need our squad to survive.

Another takeaway - self-care is not selfish. Self-care does not need defending. Self-care is whatever you want it to be. Here is what keeps me going: food magazines and trying out new dishes, regularly scheduled hair appointments, turning off NPR during my morning commute and starting the day with new music, going to the gym at least once a week, planning a trip (even if I never plan to take it), and actively engaging with friends and intentionally tuning in when we are together. Luke and I also have full conversations on behalf of our pets with unique voices for each one. It's one of my favorite ways to laugh.

My other reflection? Dinner parties are the shit and going out is so 2010s. Give me a good cheese board, some red wine, and a meal from my fave cookbook, Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman, and life is grand. Is this what getting old is like? If so, let the 2020s be the decade of getting tipsy on the couch with friends and in bed by 10:30pm.

What's Next?

So what am I looking forward to in the new year? More travel! More writing! Voting! New books! All my fave things.

Travel: We have a big family vacation to Ireland coming up in May. Expect to see more info soon about my planning process and our family PowerPoint party. We are also taking another friendcation (x2)! We are staying stateside and first spending five days in Sedona, AZ. Then we are heading to DISNEY WORLD in the fall to celebrate all the big three-oh birthdays for the year. Expect a few weekend ventures sprinkled in, but those are the big plans for the year.

Writing: Blogging is fun! I love the process of mapping out our adventures in this format and I'm looking forward to sharing more things in the new year. I want to write more about the planning process and share a bit more about some non-travel passions of mine. Hopefully I can get Luke to share some photography tips as well. My other non-blog goal is to send more cards in the mail to friends and family. There is something special about a hand written card that I love and I want to be more intentional about sending birthday and celebration cards. Hold me to it, friends!

Voting: I love voting! 2020 is a big year for civic engagement, so read up and volunteer in your communities if you feel so compelled. You can knock on doors, write letters, watch the debates, or just read up on your local (and national) candidates in the comfort of your home. And remember to check in on yourself and practice self-care. I know I'll be implementing a “shut down Twitter right now” rule before bed to stay sane.

Books: Reading is fun-da-mental. I will read just about anything. Got any book recs for the new year? Send them my way please! Already on my list: Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow, Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett, City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Trust Exercise by Susan Choi. I also joined a cookbook club and am VERY excited to dive in to some new culinary reads this year.

So that's that, y'all. I'll end here with some of my favorite travel photos of this past year. Let us know what you are looking forward to in the new year and happy travels!