High Resolution

I'm not saying I'm superstitious in even the least bit...but I will use the Chinese Zodiac to my advantage wherever I can.  Well, in a fortuitous twist of fate, it just so happens that 2014 is the year of the stately vigor that is the Horse, as opposed to the malicious slime that is the Snake of 2013.  Why not accept this as a sign of promise and resilience in the shadow of any doubt and regret? :)

This past year has probably been one of the most exciting and anxiety-provoking of my life, two qualities which often go hand-in-hand in my experience.  My hope for the new year is that I will release the lingering tension that has accumulated in my psyche and that I will reach a new, unobstructed high--a place where I can accomplish my every goal in a manner I feel good about, regardless of how anyone else may feel.  This year is about my professional and emotional development, not about a desire to appease others or to satisfy some truly illogical level of perfectionism.  In an unprecedented feat of organization, I write below my resolutions for 2014.

1. Become more organized (surprise, surprise).

While my intuition often tells me to delay the cleaning and systematizing until I finish that last page or that looming essay, my reason instructs me to prevent the unnecessary hunting and sifting through data and sanity by organizing my obligations in addition to my recreational activities in a timely and perhaps formulaic way.  This habit will also guarantee decreased tardiness in response and arrival time. 

2. Continue to foster communication instead of passive aggression with my compatriots. :)

Misunderstandings can easily manifest into contempt.  Save yourself the lifelong scorn and welcome open dialogue from the get-go.

3. Contrast outside compulsion with genuine drive to achieve a certain end.

Don't confuse someone else's intentions for you with your own--for yourself and for the world.  Do it your way with your say on your day.

4. Learn to appreciate moments more than memories.

5. Spend less time on social media (except when absolutely necessary, as when I need to post blog updates :) ).

6. Maintain high expectations of myself, but lower those of others.

7. Respect myself more, and never think for a second that I don't deserve the best for myself.

8. Take more time to be cognizant of and admire the favorable and shaping characteristics of those most close to me--proximity- and genetics-wise.

9. Publish a meaningful and consequential Legal Studies Thesis in March.

10. Study hard, and ace the LSAT in October!

And so proclaimed the New Years pledge, to build my strength and diminish the edge. 

Best wishes for an enlightening, an industrious, and most importantly a happy New Year!

Love,

Amanda :)

Top: J. Crew (old, similar here.)  Scarf: Express (old).  Pants: Ann Taylor.  Headband: Saks Fifth Avenue (old).  Coat: North Face.  Shoes: Nordstrom (old).

All photos courtesy of Sean Su.