001 Update & Resolutions

I’m calling it 001 because it’s cool, not because I think I’ll reach triple-digits.

Hello! As cliché as it is, the beginning of a new year is the time to post resolutions, and seems as good a time as any to post a life update — think of this as my digital Christmas card.

Before I share my resolutions for 2016, let me fill you in on the latest. I just arrived back home in La Quinta, California, after spending the holidays in Orange City with family and friends. I’ll be returning to work this week as the Digital Marketing Coordinator for the BNP Paribas Open, the fifth-largest tennis tournament in the world, which takes place March 7–20 this year. It will be a race to the finish line from now through the tournament, but I’m welcoming the busyness, because…

Rachel will be spending the next four months in Des Moines, Iowa. She spent the last year and a half at Loma Linda University pursuing a master’s degree in Child Life. Before we went back to Iowa for the holidays, she finished her final quarter of coursework and now has only an internship between her and her degree. Her internship will take place at Blank Children’s Hospital, and they are more than lucky to have her.

I’m not going to write about what a bummer the distance will be, because that wouldn’t be news to you. Of course we’d rather be together. What I do want to comment on is how utterly proud I am. The simple explanation for the next few months is that Rachel has an amazing opportunity to advance her education and career, and she’s driven and independent enough to do it. This pursuit warms my heart infinitely more than if she were to forego it in lieu of staying close. She might be 5'2", but I look up to her in a big way.

So that’s the next chunk for both of us! Lots going on, and I’m sure that will contribute to a fast-paced winter and spring.

Resolutions

I can’t remember if I’ve ever made a New Year’s resolution before, but I figured I’d give it a shot this year. These are off-the-cuff, but I came up with some habits that I’d like to see from myself and included attainable metrics to help measure achievement.

1. Read More: I love books, but haven’t managed to finish any in a long time. I hope to remedy that, so I’m going to complete 10 books this year. I hope that number will rise, but being intentional about reading is the goal here. Baby steps!
2. Write More: I really enjoy writing, but don’t do it very frequently. The content might vary, but I’d like to write 10 articles in 2016. I’m off to a cracking start, eh? One down after just three days!
3. Cut the Clutter: I spend a lot of my time on social media, but I’ve noticed that my feed is filled with garbage that I don’t care about. I tried to manage it, but it was so fruitless that I never wrote an update. Algorithms are not in my favor, so I will unlike or unfollow all pages. The irony is not lost on me given my profession, but if it’s not someone I personally know, I don’t want it in my feed.

There you have it! Three simple resolutions with clear objectives that I honestly think will improve my quality of life.

Stay tuned for those other articles, and I will try and include updates on my resolution progress. Merry Christmas, happy New Year, and as always, follow me on Twitter for more intermittent updates.

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Let me know what you’re up to and if I can help encourage your progress in any way.