- #BYE 2020
NYE has always been my favorite holiday – if you know me at all, you know I’m big on goals/goal-setting. I’m definitely finding it to be more challenging than usual to set mine for 2021 + also try to continuously expect the unexpected. While plenty of sh*t has happened in 2020 (+ is still happening), + some goals had to be put on hold, I really believe it’s more important than ever to celebrate even the small wins. LMK what y’all have been up to! 🤠
Here are some of mine from this year:
- started a new role at work (from Copy Editor to Creative PM) 💻
- broke my record for # miles ran in a month (new record = 140) 📈
- paid off my student loans 💸
- read 100 books (for the second time! first was 2018) 📚
- stopped drinking alcohol 🚫
- started daily meditation ✨
- finally invested a lot of time + effort toward my #1 goal in life 🔥
1.1.2021 update – here are some of my resolutions for 2021:
- be more intentional.
- be happy more. take time to enjoy things/life.
- make it 1 full year w/o alcohol (already 10 months in)
- save more $ now that my student loans are paid off
- spend less time on my phone
- take at least 1 day/wk to just relax + not be productive
- Social Distancing Self-Care + Self-Reflection
Take this short quiz to discover what level of self-compassion you have – prompted some reflection on thought patterns + caring for your emotional self during tough times. 
I also highly recommend checking out Liz + Mollie’s (co-authors of an insightful read, No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work) assessment to help you learn about your emotional tendencies. There are also additional assessments that focus on evaluating your team’s emotional culture + your organization’s emotion norms. Journal Prompts:
- i am noticing _____. i am thinking _____. i am feeling ______.
- (observe any tension in neck + shoulders)
- what are your ‘mini breaks’ throughout the day?
- what activities have you done recently that you didn’t like?
- what activities have you done lately that you did like?
- write down 3-5 things you’re grateful for (daily or weekly)
- The Minimalists
I can’t believe I never posted about The Minimalists on here before – I guess I just kept it to Facebook + IG. I just saw they’re coming out w/ a brand-new Netflix documentary, Less Is Now – available on 1.1.2021. ✨
In the meantime, their 2016 documentary, Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, is still currently available to stream on Netflix.
I really don’t remember how I stumbled upon them in the first place, but I know I started reading their books back in 2014, although unfortunately (very much in the spirit of minimalism), I lent out most of their books, which haven’t been returned to me, so am currently only in possession of a few. 😅
I’m also in a Minimalist Facebook group + attended a meetup + discussion a few years back at an IL suburban library, which was a great opportunity to connect w/ some likeminded people. 🤓
I was lucky enough to meet them at the premiere of their first documentary in Chicago at the Portage Theater. (+ I’m still very proud of myself for being the first to stand up + ask a question during the Q&A portion of the event!) They also have a podcast + YouTube channel! If you’re interested in beginning to live a minimalist lifestyle, check out the video introduction below or skip right ahead to playing the 30-day Minimalism Game! 😉
When I first started selling a lot of my possessions back in 2015/2016, I used eBay, but now I’m mainly only selling clothing items + like using the DePop app! I have a rule that I’m not allowed to buy something new unless I “get rid of” something old/something I don’t wear anymore, but to reduce waste + get some of the $ back, I try to sell my items to a new owner.
It’s very simple to list for sale + I choose to ship through DePop, so all I have to do is print a label that’s sent to me when an item is purchased, put the item in a box + place it in the mailbox for USPS to pick up. The payment comes in through PayPal, which is really easy + convenient. Items that don’t sell after some time are usually donated to The Salvation Army.
- Adobe Creative Types
Last year I got The Adventurer + this year I got The Maker. I initially expected to get the same result, but after reading the Maker description, I think it changed accurately + correspondingly based on my transition in roles from copyediting to project managing.
~ Maker types develop the systems, structures, tools + innovations that we all rely on + are almost always busy solving problems, making headway on personally meaningful goals + completing projects. They’re driven by tangible results, know how to deliver + know how to play the long game, unafraid of the unglamorous legwork that goes into building something of value over time. ~ - Visual Editor
I’m not an Art Director (clearly), but our whole team was asked to create an email using Epsilon’s new Visual Editor software to get a feel for it, so I used some design elements from Pitchfork Music Festival’s website + some Wikipedia copy to put together a makeshift faux 2019 lineup announcement email (html).
