It’s 9:33 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and I’m at home…alone…by choice. This choice, however, didn’t come easily. I spent a lot of time questioning myself.

“Should I go out? Do I really want to? I’m single. If I don’t go out, I’ll never meet someone. But, will I really meet ‘the one’ going to the same place with the same people? No…maybe…”

My internal monologue was intense until I realized it was MY monologue, and I had the ability to shut it down. I decided I wanted to spend my night figuring out exactly what it is I want out of the next 365 days.

For too long, I’ve a had a list of ideas in my head that I haven’t put into action. So rather than drinking the night away and spending New Year’s Day hungover, I’m spending it making a vision board (a masterpiece in progress) and prepping my meals for the start of the #JanuaryWhole30.

Once I made this decision, I ran into a wise friend (thank you, Universe) and we got to talking about our plans for the night. When I shared my plan to create a vision board, she offered a shift on the resolution game. Each year, people make resolutions for what they want to change or do differently in the new year. My friend suggested that we think about what we want to leave behind as we move forward.

So on a night where I began to shame myself for not wanting to go out (which let’s be honest, this happens most weekends), I learned I want to let go of all the things that don’t serve me. If it doesn’t add value to my life, it’s got to go. If it takes away from my health, happiness or well-being, guess what. It’s going.

My hope in removing these things from my life is that I will have more time and space for all the things that do serve me and help me be the light to those around me.

As we ring in the new year, what would you like to leave behind?

Happy New Year!