I’m really amped for 2014. It’s a year of celebrations for me. I’m in three weddings in the first half of the year. Two of my best friends and my brother are getting married, so there’s all the celebrating that goes along with that. I also have my own celebrations (ABD–crosses fingers) coming this year. But, on a more personal level I’m also just really determined to practice better habits in the coming year. To a certain degree, I think New Year’s Resolutions are tedious because it seems like everyone makes a bunch of non-specific goals and puts little effort into keeping them. Besides, I just made all those resolutions about joy. So, I’m not making resolutions per se. Instead, I’m just focusing on a theme: simplicity. In 2014, my aim is to simplify my life by consuming less, sticking to my skincare/exercise/maintenance routine, and avoiding the habit of ruminating. I have some habits I’d like to work in as well, in the name of simplifying, but the main goal is to free myself from complicated time-sinks. I have many weddings and a dissertation to focus on instead. 😉

–(Related) Time: New Year’s Resolutions—

I’m kind of a skincare and beauty junkie and have spent a lot of time, energy, and money trying to find the right products for my sensitive, combination skin and fairly wild hair. Now that I’ve finally found the right stuff, I’m kicking the habit of experimenting. Sorry, Sephora. But, I still love my samples, so I’m hoping a super fun Birchbox subscription will be an affordable way for me to still play a little without spending the time or money on changing my products much. Plus, it’s a treat to look forward to each month and that should help with my overall goal of consuming less.

I’m going to spend less time on the computer doing things other than my work. And way less time on my smartphone. Whenever I make a proclamation like this, Julio asks me if I have specific parameters for the goal. So, for me it starts with kicking my iPhone out of my bedroom. I’m going to quit using it as an alarm clock and not even bring it into my room. I’m also going to set aside Sundays as a social media free day. Additionally, I’m just going to log out when I should be working. All of this plays into the goal of simplification because it will take a lot of the distraction out of my workday and clear up more room in my head to think. Emotionally, it will simplify things too. I’m a really, really introverted person and the constant connection that Facebook creates is more taxing on me than I think I’d like to admit. When I spend too much time on Facebook, I just basically look like this all the time:

And then I feel bad for making that face at my friends and family. So, the less exposure I have and the more space to be introverted I have, I think the more genuinely I’ll be able to engage with others, simplifying the worry away. I’m not going to go on hiatus or deactivate my account, just stop using it so much. 2014 will be a big year for exercising better self control, I’m thinking.

Aside from the standard eat better, drink more water, less wine, yadda yadda, that’s it. Nice and simple.

–(Related) 25 New Year’s Resolutions Every Person Should Actually Make For 2014 —

What are your goals for 2014?