habits.

Mallory!

Am I one for resolutions? No. Like you, I'm constantly trying to improve myself. This doesn't necessarily stem from a need to be ever-evolving, but more from a weird, innate need to be perfect. Which is something that I'm trying to resolve with myself because I recognize that it's unhealthy.

It's weird actually. I can look back on my life and pinpoint time periods that were very perfectionist-driven. There are other years, though, where I let myself go and accepted myself for myself. There doesn't seem to be a real pattern to it. I'm guessing it has to do with my fluctuating self-confidence. Does your self-confidence fluctuate depending on the seasons of your life or is it fairly even-keel?

Self-confidence is such a fickle thing, isn't it?

Any ways. Let's talk about habits we want to break and habits we want to maintain into 2014. How is that? No talk of resolutions. No talk of self-improvement necessarily. Just habits. Good. Bad. Fleeting. Life-long.

Let's dive in, shall we?!

(1) I would love to continue working out every other day. I seriously feel so fantastic right now. My energy level is a little bit more under control [without exercise I become the Energizer Bunny. No lie]. My stress level is healthy! I honestly haven't had a panic attack since I started working out. Which makes sense. Panic attacks only presented themselves in my life when I stopped working out. Like, way to go, Einstein [Einstein being me]. My bod looks positively fantastic. Like, my thighs are back. My butt is perkier. My stomach isn't just flat, but it looks strong. I actually have shoulders now!

I took this after our first night at the gym. I look way different. I should take another photo.

I'll stop gushing. I'm just really excited. I feel like myself again.

(2) I would like to break a majorly bad habit that I have established for myself: staying up too late. I'm a night owl. I get a ton of energy at night. But I know I could change this if I forced myself to get up earlier. Like, 8A. 7:30A. 7A. Any ways, I feel better when I wake up knowing I have the entire day. Who doesn't?

(3) I would like to start seeing a hair stylist on the reg. Like, every other month or so. Because my hair would maybe thank me instead of trying to extract itself from my scalp. Just an idea.

Stupid hair.

Do you have a hard time getting to the salon? Is it just me? Because I just think about the bill and the trying to find a stylist I like and the time it takes and I get tired and decide against a trip to the salon. Every time. Aaron actually has to force me to call and schedule appointments. No. Scratch that. He will seek out salons for me to call. It's embarrassing. For me.

(4) I would like continue taking the dogs for daily walks. Because we've never been very good at doing that, but ever since getting to Arkansas we've gone every day, barring the weather. Pats on the back for us.

Hurley after a particularly good walk.

What would you like to continue or break? I find habits to be such a weird, interesting topic of conversation.

Amy!