resolutions | PBR & PEARLS

It’s 2015…Now What?

Posted on January 5, 2015 by baileyelise

I posted on Facebook a few days ago that I was taking my New Year’s mantra from this awesome song by The Zombies:

“You don’t have to worry
all your worried days are gone
this will be our year
took a long time to come.”

I thought I made a post last year about goals for this year, but apparently I didn’t. Whoops. I don’t think my predictions at that time would have come anywhere close to the year I’ve had. I left one dream job (teaching at Bishop Kelley) for another dream job (working for the Associated Press). I moved to a “major-league city.” I covered major news stories. I started covering the locker room of the Oklahoma City Thunder. I traveled around the country and to Mexico. I lost three dogs and my childhood home. I started a new job at a start-up. I started working for Yelp. I grew closer to old friends and made new ones. Despite a few low points, it was a pretty great year.

Looking at friends’ statuses, especially the large number of them that got engaged or married this year, they say this year is the best one yet. I think 2015 is going to be the best year yet. I’m determined to make it the best.

I know people write all the time about how you should set goals instead of resolutions, and that most people will break their resolution in the first month. In the interest of not breaking my word to myself, here are my goals for 2015:

To laugh more.
To worry less.
To let go of issues and people that bring negativity into my life, and to celebrate the things and people who make me happy.
To have adventures, big and small.
To document those adventures through my blog and pictures, but not to miss out on the experience because of a need to have my phone out the entire time.
To leave my phone at home sometimes, or at least not near me.
To spend more time enjoying my family and friends.
To make new friends.
To become a better writer.
To finish a major writing project.
To read a book a week, and share my thoughts on those books with my friends.
To eat healthier, but not to be so strict that I don’t enjoy what I’m eating.
To be more active, but in ways that I love, like yoga, dancing and walking.
To be more financially responsible.
To be more compassionate.
To not worry about sticking to resolutions and to just let life take me where it will.

I know 2015 is going to be a big year for me. I hope that 2015 is your year, also.

Parting Thoughts on 2014

Posted on December 30, 2014 by baileyelise

As the year comes to a close, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the past year, things I’ve said and not said, and what I want to be different/the same/better in 2015.

I’m always amazed when I run into a person who I haven’t seen in a long time, and they know what I’ve been doing. They read this blog, they follow me on Twitter or on Facebook, and they are truly happy for me and everything I’ve accomplished. One of my friends recently said that getting compliments from people who have no reason to say nice things to you (they’re not your family or boyfriend or something) are the best compliments. I agree wholeheartedly. I hope to spend time in the new year telling people just how truly awesome they are and why I’m glad I know them.

In the spirit of things ending, though, as 2014 is about to do, here are some of my random closing thoughts on things that happened this year:

Adnan should not be in jail, and based on this interview with Jay where he admits to lying to police, among many other reasons, he should be released from prison.(You should have guessed my first thought would be about Serial, if you know anything about me).
After attending the execution of Clayton Lockett and seeing both the build up, including sitting with the victim’s family at the clemency hearing, and the repercussions, I am even more firm now in my belief that the death penalty is wrong. It costs us more as tax payers (because of all the legal costs), and I do not think any person is infallible enough to deem another man not worthy of living.
Travel, writing and meeting new people are some of my greatest joys. I need to participate in all of these activities more often.
While many people are being a little negative on Facebookright now, I love the sense of renewal I can SEE everyone going through on Facebook. Put up that new photo! Create a new event! I’m not “going on a deleting spree”–In fact, I’d like to highlight some of the thingsI personally love seeing on Facebook:
- Pictures of you and your kids, especially dads. It is so special to see the love so many of my friends have for their beautiful children.
- Pictures of you getting engaged. Congratulations! I hope I’m invited to your wedding 😉 If I’m not, I hope it is magical and perfect and everything you wish it to be. You deserve it.
- Pictures of your wedding. Although I don’t understand the idea of winter weddings (probably because my birthday and Christmas are so close to this time) I tear up watching your wedding videos, and I take joy in knowing that others have found someone that makes them truly happy.
- Pictures of your pets. All the cat pictures, all the time. Please and thank you.
- Thought provoking articles from every point of view. I don’t like pieces that attack, I like pieces that make us all think, see the other side of things, and become more compassionate in our view of the world.
We should respect the police and the government. Turning your back on your mayor is wrong. Shooting innocent people is wrong. Making generalizations about a group on either side of the divide in our country is wrong. There are good police and there are people who abuse their power. There are criminals and saints of every color, sex and denomination. We should focus on stopping the people who abuse their power and the people who execute innocent men just doing their job. I hope this national conversation on the role police play and the impacts of racism helps us rise to new heights rather than dragging us down as a nation.
I love sports. Working at the Thunder games, playing fantasy football, attending my first MLB game at Camden Yards…this year has solidified my love and respect for professional athletes and professional sports.
Having your house burn down is one of the worst things, but you can make the best of it. There is beauty in simplicity.
Being happy with what you do is so incredibly important. When you’re happy doing something, being with someone, whatever, it shows. No one should waste their time doing things that just make them unhappy.

Finally, in case you didn’t read my bulleted list, I just want to say that I am so thankful that I know such an amazing, talented and diverse group of people. I may have gone to school with you, met you in my travels somewhere, worked with you, or encountered you in some other way–just know that I am so thankful for the amazing people I get to call my family, friends, mentors, co-workers and acquaintances.

I’ll be back in 2015 with a list of what I’m looking forward to in the new year. Until then, happy resolution-setting. Stay golden.