Hello all. It’s the first Tuesday of the year and I made it! Let’s see if it sticks …

Anyways. I thought I’d go with a theme: New Years Resolutions. Pretty standard, I know. But I tried to step outside the traditional resolutions that almost everyone has and my usual repeats (drink more water, learn to cook, wear my hair down, etc.).

So here you go. Here are 5 things I’m going to try to incorporate into my life this year:

1  MORE SUNRISES/SUNSETS - You guys, I failed as a human being because I only saw the sunrise twice last year. The amount of sunsets isn’t much more impressive than that.

You guys - I need to go outside! Breathe beauty all around me!

That’s one of my resolutions. More sunrises, more sunsets, more hikes, more beaches, more mountains, more fresh air.

More.

2  LESS TV - This morning I decided to join forces with the TJ Mousetis and many others to take the TVLESS TUESDAY Challenge.  That’s right. I, Joanne Policarpio Garcia, am pledging to not watch any TV, Netflix, or Hulu one day out of every week.

If you know me at all, you know how much I love TV. Like a lot.

But I’m excited about this challenge. Maybe I’ll start reading more books. Or work on some projects around the house. Or go have coffee with friends.

This has a ton of potential. You should do it too!

3  MORE PERSONAL PROJECTS - I need to do more projects for the sake of my own creative sanity. It’s easy for the world to demand a different voice out of your work, or for the media to dull down your senses when it comes to creating.

But I think I need to take a step back and just do things for me. For what I like. For the aesthetic that I lean towards.

I just know that I have to do more for me.

I hope that’s not selfish.

4  I NEED TO (KEEP) BROADENING MY HORIZONS - You guys, I just ate an avocado tuna lettuce wrap. Seriously, this is something I would never eat in my past life. But I’m broadening my horizons!

I’ve been eating random stuff at Korean BBQ with my aunts and uncles and rolling gyoza wraps like a champ!

Seriously, after watching all seven episodes of MasterChef Junior I’ve learned that I need to learn how to cook and have a more refined palate!

5  EXPLORE SOCAL - I’ve been in Los Angeles for almost two years and I haven’t gone anywhere. Granted, I’ve gone to Boston and NYC and Portland. But I haven’t really gone anywhere here in California.

I haven’t been to Santa Barbara or Monterey or Joshua Tree or Carpenteria … I haven’t seen Big Sur yet or even gone to Big Bear. I’ve barely gone to the beach. And I’ve only gone to San Diego once. 

I have been to San Francisco but I should probably give that another go. 

This is the year.  This is where I actually do everything featured in Soarin’ Over California.