diary of a 20 something

I haven’t started this new year the way I start many others. No long list of resolutions, no determined workouts with the rest of the “new year, new me” gym-goers.

I rang in the new year with my family on a ski trip in Wyoming. Technically, we stayed in Driggs, Idaho, but skied in Grand Targhee each day.

On New Year’s Eve, we skied for hours in less than ideal snow conditions, but we still made the best of it. Our ski day was followed by a large family dinner at a local restaurant where they had live music. They played “Gunpowder & Lead”, a Miranda Lambert song I used to have downloaded on my purple iPod nano from the iTunes account my mom, sister and I shared.

At dinner we talked about our favorite moments of 2023, mine being our trip to Greece and a full year of living with Jake. My cousins were proud of their sports seasons, adventures they’d taken, or the fact that they had the most “rizz” in Ski Club at school.

We returned home, unboxing party hats, crowns and excruciatingly annoying noise makers we blew as we blared Mr. Worldwide from the bluetooth speaker. Despite our best efforts, we were fighting heavy eyelids just shy of 10pm Idaho time, but we did make it to the ball drop.

For New Year’s Day dinner we had our traditional pork and sauerkraut, hoping to conjure some good luck for 2024. At dinner, after a lively conversation about a potential intruder in our AirBnb (it was a false alarm), we all picked a word for the year.

My word was “contentment” (noun, a feeling of being happy or satisfied).

I want to set my intentions for the year on contentment. To stop comparing my life to others. To stop worrying that I am not doing the right things at the right time. To be okay with not knowing the future at 25.

So this year, I want to aim to be content in all of the different phases of life. Amidst great adventures or in periods of slow living, to be satisfied and happy. To make the choice in any season to love the life I lead. And at moments that I don’t love it, to pause and figure out what I need to love it again.

I don’t have it all together as of January 1, 2024. I’m a week in and still thinking of ideas, goals and adventures for the year. I’m easing my way in, dipping a toe like you do a hot bath. Letting my self-reflection warm me inside and out as I sink deeper into this month, this year.