Sweet Home Santa Barbara: New Years Resolutions

2011 was a big year, a good year. There were a lot of changes, and I really can't say that any of them were bad ones. I've been blessed with a full time job out of college, so many amazing friends, and an incredibly supportive family. I've done a lot of thinking in the last few weeks of 2011, and I've realized that of all of the things that I've been blessed with, I've never really appreciated my faith as much as I should. Through all of the curve balls that life has thrown at me, I've never lost my faith in God, the good in the world, and most importantly myself. That is something that I have been feeling very thankful for lately, and I have faith that 2012 will not only be a good year, but a great one.

So here it goes, resolution time.

1. Be healthier

You can read about this here.

2. Read the entire Bible in one year

My church has provided me with a reading guide, and it could not have come at a more perfect time. So excited to devote more time to my faith this year.

3. Laugh more

Yeahh I graduated this year. No big deal.

Okay, so this one's a bit vague. But basically, I want to stop sweating the small stuff, and just enjoy this year. I spent a good portion of 2011 stressing over the future. All of a sudden I graduated, and I felt like I needed to have it all figured out. Well, reality check, no one ever has it all figured out. Some more so than others, but I don't need to start planning the rest of my life just yet. I want to embrace the fact that I am only 22, and get excited knowing that so many things can and will change in the next few years. So basically, I want to do this:

4. Travel

This is ony of my biggest resolutions. I haven't really traveled any where outside of the US (besides Canada and Mexico when I was too little to really remember). I know that there is a good chance that if I don't do it now, I might never get around to it. So here's to forking up the cash in 2012 to get myself some plane tickets to somewhere amazing. Step 1: get my passport.

5. Find my blogging voice

It has been SO much fun watching this little blog of mine grow (8 followers? Well look at that!). There have been a lot of times that I think of something to post about, and then chicken out. Maybe it's too serious, maybe too embarrassing, but for whatever reason these posts aren't making it to the big screen. Enough of that! This year I want to figure out more about who the heck Amy is, and blog about it along the way. Let's keep it real folks.

6. Love more

There are so many amazing people in my life, and I want to spend this year truly appreciating my time with all of them. I want to enjoy living with my girlfriends while I can, and make the most of the time I get to spend with my family. Even beyond that, I want to smile more, compliment more, say 'thank you' more. You never know what kind of day a stranger is having, and sometimes a little "I really like your shirt!" can go a long way. I know it does with me. So this year, I'm going to try my best to keep a positive attitude as often as possible. It really is contagious.

So, there you have it: My resolutions for 2012. 2011, you were awesome. But here's to an even better year that lies ahead.

Here's some pics from NYE this year: