Resolutions for 23

   With Spring finally deciding to make an appearance (hopefully it'll be sticking around), as well as my birthday last week, I wanted to do a little spring cleaning of my life to kick off the beginning of my 23rd year. The reason behind it being that this birthday really caused me to self-reflect...okay there was a little panic as the last hours of 22 ticked by and I realized that I was quickly nearing that quarter century mark, but I digress...

   It's a little late in the calendar year for resolutions but when the mood strikes, you've got to seize it. Here are my revelations and resolutions for 23.

Financial Fitness. 

     This year I'm getting on track with my finances. 

    In an effort to raise my credit score and lower my debt I have become a master budgeter when it comes to my bank account and credit cards. By this time next year I intend to pay off $6500 in student loan debt and to put at least $7200 into my savings. My bills are getting paid, I'm saving a nice percentage of each paycheck and I still have enough spending money to keep me and my social life happy.

Acting, not Waiting.
     I had worried that my wanderlust might have faded, that I was content with situating myself in front of travel blogs and letting other people's experiences be enough for me. My self-reflection, both pre- and post-birthday, left me questioning who I was becoming as a person and I realized that what I lacked was commitment to a cause. The cause being to expand my horizons and see the world.
    My second resolution of 23 is to finally act on the itineraries that I continuously plan for myself. Trips to Thailand and Cambodia to work on elephant reserves, to Rio for Carnivale, to Lappland to see the Northern Lights and to Kenya to experience a morning game ride on safari. All of these are things that I've planned intricately out over just the past month. During this year, I will leave American soil (or at least have purchased plane tickets to do so) and my wanderlust will surely be renewed.

Happiness.
     Surely this doesn't need an explanation. Happiness is something that should be on everyone's resolutions list. Striving to be happy about the life that you're living, worrying less, caring and laughing more. If I'm to accomplish only one of my resolutions for the year, this is the one I hope it is. Need I say more?

Hopefully this post didn't bore you to tears and I'd love to hear what you think about these resolutions and about any of your own!

Until then,
-J