I didn’t make any new year’s resolutions for 2019.

Instead, I chose two ideas to focus on: simplicity and exploration. They are definitely distinct, but I also think they play very well together.

Life can often feel complicated. I have learned that my mind can be quite strong, and I can see the validity of many different angles. I’ll get lost in my own thoughts and experience analysis paralysis: several perspectives make perfect sense, so how the heck do I choose ONE? I’m starting to realize that the more I peel back the layers and simplify down to the baseline issue, the answer I’ve been searching so hard for just clearly emerges. My relationship with my brother has deepened beautifully this year, and I love one of his guiding principles: life is simple when you know what your True North is and live in alignment with it.

This year has presented many opportunities to play with and explore what my own True North is. You think you know who you are, and then life gives you yet ANOTHER chance to know yourself even more deeply. It feels… fun, challenging, annoying, gratifying… to keep discovering what my True North is. I don’t have any answers. I’m not even sure there is a set of final and concrete “answers,” because life is always evolving. Exploring along the way and trying to find them anyway is what life means to me.

I want to share some examples of how to let these two ideas play together. They’re so dynamic that sometimes I’ll make my own head hurt trying to do both, but I think I’m getting the hang of it. Here are a few ways I’m applying these guiding principles in my own life:

• Dating. Fertile ground for analysis paralysis! Which apps to use (if any at all!), how often to text, how far to stretch beyond my comfort zone, where to go out to “meet” guys. It’s fun (and frustrating!!!) to explore. At the end of the day though, I remind myself to keep things simple: know what my bottom-line is. Don’t settle for anything less than what I personally want and need. And the rest? Have fun playing and being open with it! I’m constantly dancing between the two, and we’ll see what happens!
• Exercise. At the start of summer I made a commitment to myself and with some friends that I’d work out every day (1 rest day/week) and if I didn’t, I’d have to pay $X as “punishment” to them. Man oh man, that commitment device sure works! I’m having fun exploring different ways to MOVE and play in the world. And it’s also really simple: just move. Just do SOMETHING, every single day. Your body will thank you. I feel the best I have in a while, and, albeit a secondary objective, the excess weight is coming off.
• Art. It can be easy to compare yourself to other artists/authors, especially ones I look up to who had humble beginnings. Why am I not “there” yet? Why don’t I have more followers? Why I haven’t I turned all of this into a book/stickers/pins/a journal/TED talk yet? Their journeys are BEAUTIFUL and inspiring… and they are on THEIR journeys. I am on my own journey. Explore and let myself feel motivated by them. And keep it simple: just keep doing ME. (Note to self: maybe create a bit more frequently.) But keep sharing MY truths, and I will magnetize the right people/audience to myself.

2019 is quickly coming to a close, and it will be a new decade soon. I’ll be entering my 30s in January! Simplicity and exploration have served me very well so far, and I’m very excited to continue playing with them as I enter the next phase of my life. There is much more magic to be made in exploring simply and simply exploring.

P.S. This is my 50th blog post! My site needs some TLC, and I’m looking forward to making time for it.