New Year’s Resolutions: 2015

White lights were draped over the railings of our fourth-story balcony. We sat gathered together with music in the darkness that was partially illuminated by candlelight. We poured good wine, ate holiday treats, and chatted.

“So what are everyone’s New Year’s resolutions?” One of the girls asked.

The people sitting in various chairs on the balcony began muttering things about meeting new people and bettering themselves.

“So what is you’re New Year’s resolution, Jasmine?”

I thought about it for a moment. I remembered a year ago waking up on New Year’s Day from the same party, held a year before, with the same people. My New Year’s resolution then was to end up at a different party with new people, and as I looked around the outdoor patio table this New Year’s Eve at the people laughing and joking around, I couldn’t help but notice that there were some new faces in this new space.

My resolution had come true, so I made a list of things that I wanted to accomplish in the New Year with the full intent of actually achieving my goals. Last year’s resolution encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone, try new things and meet new people. I ended up traveling around Europe, meeting new close friends and I learned a lot more about hiking and camping out in nature. I may not be able to go travel the world right away again, but I do hope this year that I can continue to go beyond what is right in front of me.

I thought about all the ways in which I changed as a person for the better. I’ve become a little more confident and sure of myself, and I have also recognized that I may a little bit of a badass. However, with all the realization that I’ve become a slightly better person, I thought about the ways in which I could better myself further.

There has been one thing that has been on my mind for years, and after seeing a fellow writer friend of mine on Facebook make an announcement that he had finished his memoir, I new what needed to be said aloud.

“I want to write and read more this year.” I looked around at the table, “I want to write more of my book and possibly finish it.”

“That’s a good one,” my sister said. She had read so many books this year, but she still wanted her resolution to involve some of the same things as mine. “I want to read more as well.”

Some time around midnight I had, fortunately, finally broken the tradition of drinking cheap champagne and shared a kiss with someone who also seemed so confident that I was really going to accomplish all I was set out to do, and I smiled. I felt confident that this year would be amazing, and that I really could do whatever I put my mind to.