I know we made up calendars and decades and time, but I’m excited to start a new year and the 2020s. I am moving most of my non-travelogue writing to a monthly newsletter, which you can subscribe to at KiMDB.substack.com. I included a couple of resolutions in it, but I always like to do a blog write-up on my New Years resolutions, so here is my full list for 2020:
- Taper back on social media usage. I’ll still be active on my usual platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) since they’re the best way to share my work, connect with friends and family, and understand all the memes. But I have definitely reached a compulsive level of feeling like I need to check my phone while in the middle of other activities, which I hate. This month, I’m activating app limits in my phone settings so I have to make conscious decisions about when and how often I check each feed.
- Learn to cook, and not be lying when I say I’m going to this year.
- Write every week. Continue to submit work and send out pitches regularly. I’m easing off my goal of 52 submissions/pitches which I set for myself in 2019, in order to allow myself more time to work on potential longer projects (I’m taking a novel foundations class in January, which I am very excited about).
- The usual nutrition/regular exercise stuff. In 2019, I averaged 15 workouts per month and this is a perfect amount for me in terms of feeling good and keeping healthy while also leaving time for other hobbies.
- Continue finding ways to decrease my carbon footprint and be more mindful of one-use plastics, etc. This past year I cut back on red meat consumption a ton. In 2020, I want to step it up by decreasing fast fashion and unnecessary purchases, and being better about shopping secondhand.
- Visit a new place in my own city at least once a month.
- Travel as much as possible. I have a big trip coming up this spring that I’m super excited about, as it’s been a bucket list destination for most of my life. Travelogues coming soon!
Happy New Year!! ❤
Ponytail Up 
(hopefully this didn’t post 3 times) Great stuff! I am trying to focus on the purchases & environmental impact. It should be hard for me because historically i LOVE buying, owning, and having stuff. However, I don’t think i want everything anymore. I came up with the following rules to try to help me manage my new desire. I think these will still let me buy things if I really want to, but also help me move forward in my goals.
Goal: Have less stuff. The stuff I do have should be higher-quality and/or more meaningful getting more frequent usage while impacting the environment less.
How to accomplish goal:
1) Borrow or rent one-time items rather than buying
2) One-in, one-out policy for everything except consumables (food, trash bags, toilet paper, batteries, etc). Doesn’t need to be a like item.
a. Example: buy a new shirt get rid of an extension cord.
b. Storage products don’t count (tubs, shelves, etc) but be mindful because as stuff decreases need for stuff storage will also decrease.
3) When buying, prioritize: a. Used, b. local, c. Handmade.
a. Used –
i. Clothes – buy all used except undershirts, boxers, socks, and shoes. Shoes maybe.
ii. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, LetGo, eBay, etc
b. Local –
i. Non-chain. Independent restaurants, brewers, and stores.
ii. Smaller chains (non-Amazon) better than bigger chains if forced to a chain.
iii. Local farmers markets
c. Handmade:
i. Local farmers markets
ii. Etsy
4) Sell & donate
a. Sell monthly on ebay, facebook marketplace
b. Donate monthly what I didn’t sell.
5) Keep metrics or it won’t be real. Get satisfaction from seeing progress.
Yes!! This is a GREAT list. Thanks for sharing!