Wow, it's 2015. How did that happen? I feel like I'm living in the future just by the year alone.
So, New Year's Resolutions.
Last year, I opted out of them and said that I was going to "Live My Life". I think what I meant was to live fully, with passion and happiness. I took great strides in that, which lead me to where I am now. I applied and was approved for Australian Citizenship. I quit my job to live an adventurous life. To prepare for said life, I sold 80% of my belongings including my furniture and car and then moved in to a friend's flat (renting a room). I reconnected with old friends (mended relationships I had broken - by far the best thing I did in 2014). I visited friends and family in the US.
This year the resolutions need to be more specific. A target is easier to reach when the path and goal are clearly defined. I will stick with the overarching goal of living life with passion, giving special focus on happiness which eludes so many people (myself included). Here are some specific goals for 2015:
- Obtain my Australian Citizenship
- Get an Australian Passport
- Spend quality time with my parents in Florida
- Visit a very important friend in Seattle, someone I haven't seen in 8 years
- Stay with friends in Copenhagen
- Get to know the best of Paris (my very good Parisian friend has offered to show me around)
- See the Pieta, The Sistine Chapel, Gondolas in Venice
- Eat pasta and pizza in Italy
- Go to a country that is not on my top 10 list
- Spend the night somewhere interesting (for example: www.monasterystays.com)
- Write more (blog and personal) - I know this isn't specific..."more" is good enough
Here are some optional goals - things I'd love to do this year if possible:
- Drive across the northern states in the US
- Visit my family in Cleveland
- Go to Las Vegas
- Get a job (but later in the year)
- Read more books than I did in 2014 (10)
- Reduce my belongings
- I have items stored all over the world. I'd like to consolidate and shrink.
- Exercise/Workout every day from Jan 1st-Feb 18th (the day before I depart Australia). This is not necessarily gym only. I'm basing this on Elizabeth Gilbert's view of exercise...getting the heart rate up and muscles really working for at least 20 minutes each day. Could be a bush walk, yoga, swimming, etc.
- WWOOF (volunteer on an organic farm)
I hope you're not sick of lists yet, because I'm a huge fan.
In other news, I am back home from dog/house sitting which is both a little sad and a little awesome. I miss Jake-the-dog and sleeping in and generally pretending like I'm on vacation. Now that I'm home, it's crunch time! Even though I don't have a job and could sleep in an lounge around all day, every day, I have a lot to get done.
Leaving a country for another one is no small feat. Leaving a country to be a nomad for 6 months is another thing all together.
With the first leg(s) of my adventure booked, I now have a very real timeline. Let me give you a sample of what needs to be completed/done/sorted in the next 49 days.
- Reduce my belongings to fit into two suitcases and one carry-on bag
- Cancel my gym membership, eToll pass and Health Insurance
- Buy travel insurance
- Get my iPhone 4S unlocked
- Go to the dentist
- Get my and haircut
- Attend a Citizenship Ceremony
- Apply for my Aussie Passport (expedited)
- Catch up with friends
I told you I love lists. And here's one more. The last one of the day. Here is a list of what I was able to accomplish today. 1 Jan 2015.
- Went to the gym
- Emptied 1 suitcase and sorted 1/2 of my closet into piles (keep/sell/toss or give away)
- Put 11 items on Gumtree (the Australian version of Craigslist)
- Become aware of just how many little pieces of s%&t I have.
Tick. Tock.
Smiling😀
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