One of my favorite New Years Eve’s ever was in 2016 going into 2017. It was the first one I spent with my now husband. It was suppose to be a night at the apartment with friends but quickly turned into jamming at party in downtown Tampa. Let’s just say the night ended dancing to good music, a fireworks show above the water, and at midnight my first kiss at New Years!
I know there are some new year’s resolution haters out there. They say January 1st is just another day and you should set your goals and start working towards them any day of the year. For the most part I agree but there is something about starting on New Year’s Day and it’s not just because there are crazy shopping deals on everything.
There is so much excitement for all the possibilities that could happen. There’s a rejuvenated spirit that you can do anything you set your mind to. There are so many messages circulating around you of how you can accomplish your goals this year and how things will be different this year #newyearnewme. You get pumped up by the messages.
But I’m not new year’s resolution hater. I absolutely love the idea of setting new goals every year and working hard to achieve them. I think the benefits outweigh the negative to making New Year’s Resolutions. Here are my top 7 goals for my journey in 2020.
1. Wash my reusable water bottle more than four times a year. God only knows the embarrassingly low amount of times I washed my water bottle. Trust me it’s not okay. My new goal is to wash it at least once a week.
2. Don’t be wanting to fight waiters that give me a straw or keep refilling my water. I know it’s not their fault. They are trained to bring straws and refills because that’s the culture. I know it’s a big systemic restaurant cultural problem. In stead my goal is to write restaurants letters or reviews on ways they can be more zerowaste.
3. Treat clothes swaps in the reverse of tracking my calorie intake to loose weight- bring more clothes (in) and take less clothes home (out). I discovered the amazingness that are clothes swap events while living in Minnesota. I quickly realized although I was getting rid of clothes (good) I was taking more home (bad). This time I want to take less clothes than I bring and host more clothes swap events.
4. Hello my name is Akua and I’m a former shopaholic. There was a time when I didn’t walk out of a store without buying something. My favorite pass time as a kid was going to the mall. But your girl got to check herself and see where I’m investing my money and time. So this year for the first time ever I’m going to track my fashion purchases (clothes, accessories, and shoes).
5. I want to be that annoying wife again that digs through our home trash and moves what I can to our compost bin. I was on the top of my game with organic recycling in Minnesota. They made it so easy to do with access to it at school, work, and restaurants but in Tampa the options are more limited and come with a fee. But no more excuses by the end of January I will have a compost bin in my home that I actually use.
6. Embrace my love language for sustainability more. It’s comes more naturally to me to cuddle with the fashion world and infuse sustainability than anything else. Knowing that I want to encourage and create more opportunities for people to thrift.
7. Be that girl that was at every party freshmen year of college. It would be amazing to build a real community of people in the new place I call home. Instead of college parties attend more local and regional sustainability events and activities.
2020 is something special. It’s particularly a big year for the United States. There is a presidential elections in November, the 2020 Census in April, and the year Wonder Woman 2 comes out! Plus the start of a new decade. The first of the new year is special but so is any day you are blessed to see to achieve your goals!
Outfit: Thrifted Dress from Salvation Army for $8 | Boots from Plato’s Closet for less than $20
What goals do you have for 2020?!