This New Year's wasn't about finding the best party or the rowdiest crowd. It was the opposite, actually. A few close friends and I rented a quiet house in Hood River to celebrate with board games, snow activities, and some good wine. It was such a relaxing alternative to getting dressed up and paying too much for a silly party with too many people. I spent the weekend doing exactly what I want the rest of the year to look like: eating good food with good people, playing outside, and not taking life too seriously.

There's nothing better than a fresh start, amen? I love the beginning of the year because it inspires me to think about the coming year and everything I hope to accomplish. New Year's resolutions, or a firm decision to do or not something, are hardly my strong suit. (I'm still biting my nails and eating all the ice cream.) So I decided to focus on my intentions this year and crafted them in a way that makes them almost impossible to totally fail at. After all, this should be an exciting time for planning and manifesting and hardly a time to get down on yourself for what you might or might not achieve.

So here's to a more fulfilling, productive, and SUPER FUN 2016.

Do more meaningful work ("great work" instead of just "good work") with people who inspire me.
Say "yes" to things that force me outside of my comfort zone.
Recommit to my health through more exercise, meditation, and better food choices.
Take a class - furniture building, ceramics, graphic design...anything!
Read as many books as possible, but start with the ones sitting on my dresser.
Commit to blogging a few times a month.
Demonstrate gratitude whenever possible through words, letters, gifts, and so on.
Invest in my relationships on a deeper level through conversations, challenges, and new experiences.
Ask for help when I need it. I spend minutes, hours and sometimes days spinning my wheels on something that could be solved with a quick "hey, can you help me with this?"
Drink good wine. Always.