What a year 22 has been. I’ve finished my Bachelors and (almost!) my MBA. I finally went on spring break, traveled to Vegas and the Grand Canyon, and studied abroad my second time in Southeast Asia. I worked 3 different jobs/internships while being a full-time student. I sweated in almost every studio in Chicago and ran my first half marathon. I bought my own website domain. I opened my heart and expanded my network beyond my wildest dreams. I learned a lot about myself and what I want my life to be, and I can’t wait to see what 23 holds.
My 2017 intention is to embrace. I’m always setting new goals to keep myself moving forward, but I want to embrace more of the present moments. Currently, so much of my life is out of my control, making it difficult to feel in control of my goals. Since I can’t specifically plan out my next year yet (someone, hire me!), it’s been challenging to set typical SMART goals. Instead, I’ve created a list of 23 goals that can be accomplished, regardless of my location or circumstances —
- Run another half marathon
- Hug someone at least once day
- Publish a short story
- See all of my friends at least once a month, even if through FaceTime
- Join a yoga studio
- Balance in a headstand
- Launch Balancept
- Involve myself in my friends’ and families’ goals to better support them
- Resume my German language education
- Explore all main Chicago neighborhoods
- Handwrite thank-you notes as often as possible
- Set the standard for how I want others to love me
- Stop saying “I hate everyone” whenever one person or a few upset me
- Visit Canada
- Attend another yoga retreat
- Stop laughing at guys who aren’t funny
- Take my mom on a trip
- Attend mass at Madonna della Strada (for the first time!)
- Visit Ballpark Village, finally
- Get rid of 90% of my clothes from my closets back home
- Never eat anything I don’t want to
- Help my dad find a job
- Change my hairstyle or color (maybe — no promises on this one!)
There’s so much that I can’t change, but that doesn’t change the fact that there’s so much I can do. Here’s to my Jordan Year and accomplishing even more goals at 23.
++ Mary K
