Home — CHLOEUNSURE

Last night we said goodbye to 2016. As I sat on the couch at my friend’s NYE party, champagne in hand, I looked back on 2016 through the lens of my iPhone. As I swiped through the images I noticed I had not taken very many pictures the last 6 months. In the beginning of the year there were happy pictures of me smiling, enjoying life with friends or my boyfriend. But the latter half of the year, there were only pictures of either dreary scenery or random screenshots. There were no pictures documenting the places I went, the love I shared, or of me (no selfies?!). I used to enjoy taking pictures and sharing my experiences with the world. What happened?

It was a rough year for many reasons. It started out like any other year — hopeful, fresh, welcoming. It was even going ok the first few months, full of adventures and promise. But then everything seemed to take a turn for the worst. Everything in the world was so dark. It got so bad at one point that I spent every weekend crying, feeling so misunderstood. I ended 2016 lost and depressed.

I am not one for New Year’s resolutions. They sound so absolute. You either do them or your don’t. In yoga, at the beginning of each class the teacher tells you to set an intention to harness in your practice. I always liked that word; it feels more goal-oriented, something to work towards. So let’s call them intentions. My intention for 2017 is happiness. I want to discover what truly makes me happy and foster it everyday life.

“My intention for 2017 is happiness.”

In this blog I will track my journey to happiness, sharing the methods I try, the ups, the downs, and everything in between. I already have a small list of goals to start me on my journey:

Morning Pages - I recently started reading Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. It’s a famed self-help book that teaches methods to recovering your inner creativity. One of the methods in her book are the morning pages. Every morning you wake up and write 3 full pages of anything that comes to mind. It doesn’t have to be a anything specific or make any sense. You just write whatever is in your head. It’s a way to get out any anxiety that is taking up your thoughts, so you can start the day with a clear head.
Read 1 Hour Day - I’ll admit I have not been much of a reader. But I have realized it is extremely important for self-growth. One needs to continue learning to challenge the mind and discover new things, and books a great (and cheap) way to do that. I already have a a few books to get me started: The Artist’s Way, Feminist Fight Club, Choice Theory.
Save $10,000 - I am finally in a place where I feel in control of my finances. I am making decent money and have a good handle on my spending (thanks to another side project I’ve been working on, but more on that later). Financial freedom is the ultimate goal, and while that takes time, I need to start somewhere.
Minimalism - I recently watched the documentary Minimalism on Netflix. The whole message of film really spoke to my journey. One of my favorite quotes from the film: “Everything you bring into your life should make you happy.” I used to be a mindless spender and use things to bring my instant gratification. Well that didn’t work, so now for a different mindset. My boyfriend and I have slowly begun to get rid of things we don’t use anymore. We still have a ways to go before we can proudly proclaim minimalism, but at least we’re aligned. We will be moving in March, which will be the perfect time to purge and start over.
Therapy - I have been to therapy a few times to deal with my day-to-day anxiety, but I never stuck with it. But here I find myself back in therapy. This time I am going to give it 6 months and see what I get out of it. I’m impatient, but I finally understand that change takes time and cannot be rushed.

This is year is going to be different than the last. I am in a place where I am ready to make significant strides toward a happy life, and this blog will be a record to keep me accountable. Bring it on 2017. I am ready for you.