This year, paths of pain and perfection seemed to travel parallel. There was much heartache, the private struggles of friends and coworkers and great devastation on the global stage. But at every moment, there was also beauty and triumph.

For almost a decade, I’ve committed to annual resolutions that over time are allowing for a happy adulthood. In 2016, my publicly stated resolutions included the very specific “drinking 64oz of water per day” and “no new purchases,” and the esoteric “act with more intention.”

64oz of water per day
This was, absurdly, the most difficult to execute. For the first few months of 2016, I diligently filled a 32oz bottle twice a day, often chugging the last 32oz in the few hours before bed and then waking at least once to pee. I doggedly persevered through the beginning of May and then after our vacation, dropped off with no hope of recovery. Throughout the summer, I plugged on halfheartedly, mainly counting my many servings of fruit toward the daily intake. By the fall, recommitment seemed futile.

This’ll be on the 2017 list and clearly I need to re-think my execution.

No new purchases
Not since 2008’s “fiscally and physically fit” has a resolution had this great an impact on my lifestyle. The overarching goal was no new purchases for the home or person but the caveats were: gifts and things for the office. For those things I deemed absolutely necessary, I hoped to purchase from consignment or buy handmade; this ensured the resolution was practical but helped me consume responsibly.

For a variety of reasons that I don’t actually need to explain, there were some new purchases:

  • 1 floor lamp
  • 1 hat
  • 1 pair gloves
  • 1 pair mittens

(The below are all LuLaRoe – I’m sure you understand.)

  • 3 shirts
  • 1 dress
  • 1 pair leggings

Um, holla, this represents the only breech to my resolution and represents the majority of my purchases for the whole year!

The whole endeavor created a great deal of space in my world,  space I would have filled with shopping excursions out of desperation and boredom, space I would have filled with tchotchkes and clothes that I would have likely given away a few months later.

This resolution made me materialistic in the most beautiful way possible. It made me fully appreciate and care for all my existing things. January 1 2017, I’ll prolly be at the DSW using my birthday coupon for some brand new grey booties, but other than that I’ll likely keep up with this resolution. Full disclosure: I actually did this on December 30th but these days of purgatory don’t really count, right?

Acting with more intention
It seemed that just intending to do this made it seep into all of my decisions and acts. I ate with intention, watched TV with intention, rested(!) with intention, planned with intention, worked with intention – and therefore felt content and purposeful. Intention is an able bridge between thought and action.

I move into 2017 joyfully, freshly cognizant of the importance of individual work, and ready.