Hello, blog that I have not written in since October 2022!
I just got an email saying that my domain name has been renewed, which was a stark reminder that I haven’t felt compelled to publish something here in over a year. Part of me has felt overwhelmed by the amount of things that have happened in the last year, which makes the thought of updating my blog with everything that’s happened feel… overwhelming!
Instead of recapping, I’m looking forward to the upcoming year. I am a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions, so here are mine for 2024:
Monthly Trivia Night
This is my favorite resolution and the one that I’m looking forward to the most!
Over the last few months, I’ve realized that I have formed so many new connections and relationships that I’d like to grow further, and I’m excited by the possibilities! However, I have also fallen into the mental trap of thinking that nobody wants to hang out with me because nobody is inviting me out, and letting these thoughts discourage me from inviting people out myself.
To get around these mental hurdles, I’ve decided that I want to go to trivia night at least once a month. I love trivia, but, more importantly, I love having an external force (or better put, excuse) to invite people out.
I’ve floated the idea to some circles already and have received a lot of positive responses (including offers to connect me to other trivia-savvy people, which is exciting!), but I still definitely feel the need to close the loop and actually finalize plans. That’s always the obstacle, right?
No New Books
I own a lot of books. I have a full, four-shelf bookshelf as well as a rapidly-growing collection on my Kindle and Audible accounts. Everything is growing because I am constantly on the lookout for sales and good deals, especially in the book section of my local Goodwill. I get a very specific sense of accomplishment from collecting books – again, the possibility! the thrill of the find! etc! – but this feeling has very rarely been followed-up with the sense of accomplishment that comes from actually… finishing… these… books…
Because of this, I have declared that I will not buy any new books in 2024, and instead, take this year to work through my current queues and bookshelves.
I have, however, decided to make one exception to this rule. I am part of a book club with a few friends from college, and I definitely want to keep participating, as it’s been a great way to continue feeling connected with them – so I’ll buy whatever book we’re talking about, even if it’s not already on my bookshelf. Anything for connection, right? (See above!)
The Year of Heavy Weights (and – gasp – No Running Goals)
This is a complicated one!
I ran my last race, for the foreseeable future, at the beginning of last November. I haven’t run a step (on purpose) since then!
I have a lot of thoughts about this change that I will probably pour into another blog post in the future! (Content!) For today’s post, I want to focus on my new fitness regimen instead: lifting heavy weights!
I’ve wanted to lift heavier weights for a long time, but had trouble balancing my time between lifting and running, and because I kept signing up for races, running had to take precedence for a long time. After my last race, however, I decided to follow my heart and sign up for a gym membership.
Things have been going great so far and, honestly, and my former race training mentality (read: consistency) has mapped itself well to getting myself into the gym on a regular basis. Here’s to a stronger year!