The year of the...

Every year I try to use my birthday as a time to reflect on what has been, what is and what will be as well as to set an intention for my year. 2016 was filled with a lot of turmoil in my personal and professional life so I chose to have 28 be the year of THE PURGE. And it worked. I freed myself from things that did not serve me or that actively drained me. It created a lot of space mentally, emotionally and physically for positive additions.

As such, I deem 29 to be the year of LIVING MY BEST LIFE. This doesn’t mean going wild and popping bottles; it means living a mindful and intentional life; it means not just living for short term gratification but long term satisfaction; it means buckling down on my finances, it means eating healthy consistently; it means delving deeper into my yoga practice; it means going to Australia for three weeks; it means hiking year round, it means drinking less; it means keeping toxic people from my past from entering my life again; it means self care and renewed self love.

As synchronicity would have it, my work’s wellness program presented me with a goal of setting a roadmap for my life with four key areas of focus: health and fitness, money and prosperity, growth and development, and contribution and sustainability. I will continue to build out this list and modify it as I see it, but what I’ve fleshed out below creates a specific map that will help drive my actions so that I continue to live my best life well beyond 29.

Health & Fitness

FOCUS AREAS: LIFESTYLE MANAGEMENT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, STRESS, PREVENTIVE CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Work out 3x/wk minimum

Regularly hiking in spring-fall (meaning no less than twice a month)

Become certified yoga instructor

Quarterly massages or chiropractic alignments

Quarterly self-care days (spa)

Eat a vegetable and protein dominant diet

• Minimize carb and dairy intake to manage eczema

Typical drinking NTE 3x/wk or 2 drinks/occasion (with exceptions)

7 hrs minimum of sleep per night

Value live music (as a means of release and stress prevention)

Preventative vs. reactive care

Money & Prosperity

FOCUS AREAS: FINANCIAL LITERACY, WEALTH ACCUMULATION, DEBT REDUCTION, PLANNING

3/4 of annual income in savings

Annual 401k contribution escalation

Credit Cards paid off in full each month

Quarterly travel per year: 1 international trip, 3 domestic trips (includes backpacking)

Growth & Development

FOCUS AREAS: CAREER PATH, RESILIENCE, LEADERSHIP, INTERPERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Committed, loving relationship

• Work out together
• Travel together
• Open communication
• Independent but supportive
• Comfortable in their own skin
• Calms my soul but also stokes my fire
• Seeks to understand my feelings and opinions
• Speaks and engages me with respect
• Loyal
• Primary family unit, immediate family close but secondary
• Sexually satisfying
• Socially liberal, open minded
• Elevates/challenges me
• Respects me
• Loves the me that I love

Close relationships with family

• Expectations set based on each individual
• Clear boundaries established and enforced
• Honest communication
• Loves the me that I love

Close relationships with friends

• Honest and communicative
• Supportive and engaging
• Accountability
• Acceptance
• Consistent time spent together (amount determined based on mutual understanding of each individual’s lifestyle)
• Emphasis on relationships with woman
• Loves the me that I love

Self-love

• Prioritization of self care: physical exercise, spa days
• Regular quality alone time
• Loving descriptions of body and personality
• Emphasis on competition with self rather than others

Professional

• Allows me to remain financially independent
• Allows me to prioritize my personal relationships and travel
• Manageable work schedule (40 hrs/wk with little-to-no overtime)
• Manager dedicated to my personal growth and well being
• Treated with respect
• Valued
• Growth opportunities
• Socially conscious
• Safe environment

Contribution & Sustainability

FOCUS AREAS: INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETAL VALUES, VOLUNTEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Monthly donation to causes related to societal issues I care about

Stay educated on current affairs (via books, podcasts, subscribe to newspaper)

Read 1 book per quarter on racial and/or gender issues

Challenge norms surrounding intersectionality of race, gender and economic status