I'm not typically the type of girl to create a long (or even short) list of New Year's Resolutions. In general, I feel like creating of a giant list (or small) of things I'm not allowed to do that year is simply setting myself up for failure. A few years ago, I read an article that found people who write down what they want to accomplish are more successful in accomplishing their goals than those who don't. So for the past two years, I've posted a short list of items I'd like to achieve in the upcoming year. Sometimes I hit those goals and sometimes I don't, and I'm okay with that. Last year I wanted to:
1. Find my style 2. Learn letterpress 3. Apply to grad school 4. Learn something new about myself
I accomplished 2 out of the 4 items on my list. I wasn't able to learn letterpress because I started a job 4 days after I moved to San Francisco, and I didn't apply to grad school because of timing (and that one is going to be re-recycled for this year). So here's the list for 2012:
1. Draw and design for myself
Two years ago (was it really 2 years?!) I embarked on a 365 challenge to create 1 design per business day for 52 weeks of the year. I only made it through August, but didn't consider it a failure because I learned quite a lot about myself as a designer and artist during that time. Designing without any direction forced me to evaluate design choices, cultivate creativity and learn more intimately about what I was passionate about.
2. Blog more
This one relates directly to the goal in position 1. The more I create for myself, the more I will blog. Regardless, I've been feeling a lack of personal creativity in my life lately. Here's to banishing that in every way possible. (Image from Stefan Sagmeister)
3. Wear more dresses
No matter how many sequins I wear, I'm a tomboy at heart. I grew up around mostly boys and loved every minute of it. Not because they were cute, but because I loved sports and a good competition. I remember begging my cousins not to "go easy on me" because I wanted to be treated as an equal. However, with my semi-new pixie cut, I have a new-found desire to come across as slightly more feminine. Thanks to a vintage/thrift-store shopping trip with a great friend, I have a few new girly-girl dresses that are just slightly out of my comfort zone. A great start to this goal? I think so. (Image from On The Racks)
4. Apply for grad school
I know. You've seen this one enough, but this year I'm serious. A Master's degree has always been un-questionable for me and I'm not getting any younger. Now that I know we plan to be in the Bay Area for a while (and not New York or London), it's time to start getting serious. Really serious.
I'd love to know. What are your goals for 2012?