New Year, Same Me.

I didn't wake up this year with a list of personal goals like I have every other year. I woke up feeling content, happy, and ready for another great year.

In 2015 I focused a lot on myself, my marriage, and my home. I accepted things about myself that I once tried to change, I made time for the things I love, I treated myself to things I wanted and felt I deserved. I became comfortable saying NO. In fact, I said NO more often. NO to things that would deprive me of a good nights sleep, NO to things that would consume my entire weekend and leave me without time for myself, NO to going places with people who really didn't care if I was there or not. Instead, I focused on what I really wanted - what I really needed - how I really felt.

I started taking better care of myself last year and I've yet to stop. I found an exercise program that is fun and keeps me engaged, I began taking advantage of downtime at work to stretch when I needed to loosen up, and I would only take the stairs. I bought Tupperware, mason jars and a fancy lunch bag that I enjoy packing with healthy food, and a water bottle that sees a couple of refills a day. I attended Yoga classes with every intention to let go of things I can't change and relax. It gave me a reason to leave the house on my own to do something just for me - and that's something I really needed and want to continue. I stopped going to bed without washing my face. I'd cleanse it, exfoliate it, moisturize it and study it. I've accepted the parts of it that are changing ever so slowly from day to day and started taking action in preventing what I can with weekly face masks, night creams, cleansers and makeup appropriate for my skin type.

In 2015 I read books, soaked my feet, traveled, realized that my hangovers are never, ever worth it and had many wakeful, productive Saturdays because of it. I splurged on new bedding, un-followed the Kardashian's and almost every other celebrity I compared my life to, and I learned to let my phone die. I deleted Facebook, gained back all the precious time I wasted scrolling through pages and pages of useless garbage and with that, my husbands face became the last thing I'd look at before falling asleep and the first thing I'd reach for in the morning.

My 2016 resolution?

Keep doing what I'm doing.

Rachel XO