The other night I was reviewing my resolutions that I set for the 2015 year. There were some usual, common ones related to sustaining my health and fitness, etc. But one stood out to me.

I resolved to experience one new thing a month.

How awesome? Experiencing one new thing a month, that was something I could do, it was something I did! And by making it a goal to experience, in turn I was also present. Make a goal to have new experiences with those close with you, experiences small or big, it does not matter!

Here are the simple, or wild, experiences I had each month:

January: I rang in the new year, with new people, in a new place, and began a new year.

Kansas City, Power & Light District; January 1, 2015 12:00AM 

February: I had sushi for the first time while celebrating my cousin/roommate/sushi lover’s 21st birthday

SOHO Sushi Bar & Deli; February 16, 2015

March: Like any other year, I turned a year older, but in a new PLACE! We took on South Padre Island for my last college spring break

South Padre Island Coca Cola Beach; March 17, 2015

April: Again, just like every other year we got to celebrate my boyfriend, Alex’s birthday, but our soon to be puppy was BORN on the same exact day!

Born in Hayward, WI; April 8, 2015

Oh and I was able to attend the Iowa Governor’s Conference of Public Health

Cedar Rapids, IA; April 14, 2015

May: The biggest month of them all! Let’s see to start, I graduated college

University of Northern Iowa; May 9, 2015

And then I went with my mom to New Jersey & New York to see my cousin

Hopped off the plane and met former MLB player and current television analyst for MLB netowrk, Harold Reynolds; New Jersey, May 15, 2015

And then we saw Darius Rucker for the first time

We then woke up bright and early to go see the Today Show (GAH DREAMING!) and then checked into our hotel in the heart of Times Square

June: Our precious puppy, Otto, met his forever home in Iowa

Meet 13 lb English Golden Retriever, Otto; June 5, 2015

June: Along with my boyfriend and my best friend, I went to my first Collegiate Summer baseball league game

Waterloo Bucks Stadium; July 3, 2015

OH AND I CANT FORGET MY FIRST EVER (AND HOPEFULLY NOT LAST) TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT!!

Taylor Swift @ Soldier Field; July 18, 2015

August: The month that I started my 5 month internship with Covenant Medical Center at their Wellness Center

September: I attended my first wedding with my man, and the first wedding I can actually remember going to, since all of my other wedding attendances I was under 3 feet tall and too young to remember

Lansing, Kansas; September 18, 2015

October: Otto’s first UNI tailgate (and by experience as his mother, this was new for me too!)

November: We saw Mockingjay Part 2 for the first time, and I was able to bring Alex home for Thanksgiving for the first time

My family’s annual Black Wednesday party bus; now featuring Alex

December: the month that I ended my internship and started a full time Salary position job at Kosama as the General Manager (which I had kind of been for the past 3-5 months due to some management instability/issues)

Kosama Complete Body Transformation, Cedar Falls staff

 

Resolutions don’t have to be hard, the best ones are the ones that grow you as a person and grow your relationships with others. So I challenge you; try one (or more!) new thing each month this year, and every year! You won’t regret it!