New Years Resolutions for the Creative Soul

Growing up, my New Years Resolution list usually consisted of just one thing: to stop biting my nails. It was a simple resolution, but I failed to be successful year after year. I think I failed because I only hoped for an outcome but never actually made plans to follow through on. This year I decided to take some time to really think about what I want to accomplish over the year, with specific regard to my art and this blog, and came up with some more meaningful resolutions.

Over the years, I've found the increasing uses in technology to be both a blessing and a curse. It's amazing to have infinite resources at your fingertips, but sometimes I find it all to be a little too much. As much as I love Pinterest and looking at other blogs, I think it can be easy to forget that there is inspiration to be found out there in the physical world. This year I resolve to spend more time gathering inspiration offline and creating "real-life" inspiration boards. And, along the same line, I want to make a conscious effort to put pen/pencil to paper more often. I carry an 'idea notebook' around with me, and love jotting down ideas and sketches in it. I think if I took the time, that I could fill it up a little faster and be on to my next notebook.

I love designing, crafting, and creating, but one of my major downfalls is that more often than not, I rush to get to the end product. When I get an idea, I just want to see it through right away and usually look for the quickest way to get from point A to point B. Although this isn't always a bad thing, this year I resolve to take some time to really enjoy the process. I hope that this will help me to learn new techniques and to find myself inspired in ways I never knew. I think I will find a lot of success in my future projects if I can enjoy the process.

I don't know when it happened, but lately my normal bedtime on a weeknight is somewhere around midnight. And it's awful! I don't want to stay up that late when I have to get up early for work the next morning, but it seems no matter what I'm doing, I can't get to bed beforehand. I tend to try to fit as much into a single day as possible and I think that's where I run into trouble. This year I resolve to go to bed earlier so that I can wake up feeling more refreshed and ready to take on the day. I have a feeling that if I get a better night's sleep, I'll be able to tackle all of my projects with a clear head and at a faster rate so that I can continue to get to bed before midnight.

This past year I bought a nice new camera and took a photography class at the BCAE so I could learn the basics of my new tool. I found it to be so helpful and so this year I resolve to take a second class to improve my skill. I've come to find that photography is a hobby that I really enjoy, and to get better at it could only make it more enjoyable.

At the end of the year I want to see myself as a happy, healthy, and successful individual living a well balanced and creative life. I think that these resolutions will definitely help to guarantee that. What about you? Do you have some good New Years resolutions this year?

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