New Flame

One thing that most people can come to an agreement on, is that the year 2020 has been the worst in decades. A global pandemic arose, lethal “murder hornets”, millions of job layoffs, and even various riots and protests year-round for many difficult and controversial issues. The entire year, it was always something new and terrible which made it hard not to be scared to leave your own home. The routine had been so monotonous for what felt like years, so it’s nice that even though all the issues we’ve faced back in 2020 may not be gone going into 2021, we are a little better equipped at handling the various ups and downs of the year. I have made a conscious decision to attempt to simply do more going forward in life, creating better habits for exercise, eating, and general daily activities. I wanted to create some realistic and achievable goals for this new year to match some of the more drastic changes within my life.

I recently decided to move across the country from where I was living in Alabama to California to give myself space and freedom to become who I truly wanted to be. I have started this year with massive changes across the board for myself, leaving behind my family to live on my own thousands of miles away like a “real adult”. I don’t want the move to be the only change I manage to accomplish this year; I also want to become more active and be outdoors more. This task may be a little difficult considering the state of California essentially being in a period of indefinite lockdown, but I still strive to be as safe as I can while still going on walks and outdoor activities with friends. I've had enough of being locked inside, but I’m sure we all feel that way.

Other than exercise and trying to become more active in the world, I want to take part in some local nonprofit/volunteer work. I don’t have grand aspirations of changing the world, but I do want to offer assistance where I can to make it a little easier for others if I have the ability to. I have personally benefited from these kinds of programs growing up both local and government. Things like donations, fundraising, food drives, and various events that can bring joy can do so much for those who are down on their luck. I feel like it would be great to offer something back to those less fortunate, especially during uncertain times like this. I know that I can’t fix all of the problems that people face, but I do fully intend to offer something that will soften the blow where I can.

Lastly, for this year, I want to write and publish more things that I care about like articles, reviews, and creative stories. I want to document my opinions for content that individuals who share similar interests can appreciate. I want to share the wild and wondrous stories that I have locked in my head as well. I just want to write more content is the bottom line and allow something I enjoy doing to reach people. I want to set these kinds of goals for myself more than anything else. It feels more real publishing them in this way, and though it’s much more symbolic in nature than anything else, it does create something that will hold me accountable in a sense. To keep me on track, I’m going to try my absolute best to stay on this new path that I have resolved for myself and become the new me that I’m aspiring for, but at the very least someone that I can feel proud of.