A Year In Review

Happy 2017, ya weirdos!

I spent my New Years Eve with my best friends being a tad bit glutinous. Let's just say I was not feeling too hot January 1st... Oops.

NYE is my favorite holiday, which I realize is very girly of me... but hey. I like dressing up, glitter, champagne, fireworks and the idea of someone feeling obligated to kiss me. I also like the idea of starting fresh and bettering myself and leaving the past behind. New Year Eve is never as fabulous as I imagine it to be, but it has the potential of being so great that I just keep trying to make the holiday love me back as much as I love it. (Story of my life. It's not working out.)

Anyways, most people I know refuse to make New Years Resolutions because they know they aren't going to keep them. I like to give my future self the benefit of the doubt; maybe I won't be as garbage as I was the year before... You never know! I also think it's beneficial to enter the new year with good intentions. I don't think it's wrong to set expectations for yourself and I think posting my resolutions online every year kind of holds me more accountable.

The word I can't get out of my head is "resilience." It's one thing I am focusing on in 2017. I want to be tougher this year. I want to grow and bounce back and keep trying even if I really don't want to. I want to be nicer to myself and practice more self love and be more mindful of my mental health. I want to hate myself less and recognize how much I am growing. 

I also like the idea of working hard and loving harder. Life is obviously more than a job and money. When I say hustling, I mean throwing myself (and my "art") out into the world. Creating more opportunities for myself and trying harder to make things that make me feel good. I want to try my best and allow myself to feel accomplished afterwards. 

I also want to be comfortable and happy. My favorite feeling is the peaceful, warm safety of my bed. I want to create more restorative niches like that in my life this year. (And I want to cuddle my cats more. That cool?)

Here's hoping, right?

Major cheesin'

I listen to this song every year on New Year's Day and it makes me kind of sad and kind of hopeful too. 

New Year's resolutions from the past. Damn! Definitely didn't kiss every boy on Planet Earth last year, lose a hand OR get involved in more marriage pacts (dammit!) but I did continue to NOT ride a hover board so... pretty successful year?

I'm joking. My resolutions last year were silly and honestly, I was mostly focused on moving on and getting better. (I don't think I was brave enough to say that this time last year though, so alas, jokes.) My life has changed so much in the last 12 months and I never would imagine it to be what it is right now. I've always had a shaky time with the idea of happiness, but I honestly can say I am so much healthier than I was at the beginning of 2016.

I left behind a really toxic relationship (with my career,) and completely changed every aspect of my life. I moved back across the country, surrounded myself with family and friends and focused on myself. I left behind all expectations of what my life should be at this point and I'm just starting to realize that everything I thought would be the key to happiness, isn't. I have no idea what I am doing but I just know I'm doing okay. That's enough for me right now. 

xoxo, 

D

More vows to myself from years past.  

Funny to look back at what past Danielle wanted. Less acne, more drawing... always.

#8: still relevant. 

OH! And P.P.S. How cute is my baby Christmas tree?