Howdy, 2023

Whenever I've tried thinking about new year’s resolutions in the past, they've always felt like self-coercion, like there's a secret “better” version of myself beckoning from across the threshold of a new year. But, across that threshold, I always discover it's still me and I am me and there's not some magical version of me waiting to be embodied.

I’ve also discovered that every single tendency I have has developed for a reason; I'm generally not fighting off some magical demon that has appeared out of nowhere, but that a lot of my tendencies, even if I don't want to continue them, have developed out of self-protection or preservation. Willing myself to get rid of them doesn’t really work.

On that point, I'm also also learning that I don't really believe in doing things via sheer force of will, which is a way I used to do things back when I was (ง’̀-‘́)ง fighting for my life (ง’̀-‘́)ง. Like how I’ve been learning to do with dear lil pup Ziggy, positive reinforcement is the way.

So, instead of: Here are 10 things I Aspire to Do Differently in the New Year

What about:

Here are 10 habits/routines I've picked up that Feel Good and Useful to Continue into Next Year (and a further reminder as to Why)

cooking (Restaurants never put enough of my fave veggie. I can use as much bok choy as I want, I'm never wanting for bok when I cook for myself)
reading before bed (reality TV on my phone before bed feels bad the next morning. I’ve been getting to sleep better with a book.)
morning stretches (Ballet Blast by Sassy: it feels so good to get the full range of motion first thing out of bed)
water routines (honey+lemon+warm water in the morning is soothing and comforting, CHIA WATER at night is pure heaven)
resetting my space and viewing it as a gift to future claire (from How to Keep House While Drowning: can attest that waking up to a reset space feels energizing)
getting places early, adding in more buffer time for travel (Rushing is terrible, it feels bad. Being early means more time to pee!)
ear plugs at night (ever since I started using slim fit ear plugs for small ear canals, I’ve slept the entire night through. I generally don’t, otherwise.)
Flossing (when I was a good brusher but a bad flosser, my canker sore breakouts were frequent and unmanageably painful. Since I started flossing religiously, it seems to have actually helped prevent/diminish breakouts.)
8 hugs a day (IDK where I saw this suggestion, but it’s an obvious one and it feels good)
apologizing (repairing meaningful relationships feels good, not letting pettiness or misunderstanding or projection fracture relationships feels good)

Bonus:

https://twitter.com/cuntymeme/status/1608618752765210624?s=46&t=ZEsMjyzQ-JZ1GhOF2ARO4w

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Last photo dump of 2022

boxy boyish black vs. sexy silky siren

“It’s so extreme that these women aren't sex objects, they're sex subjects” ——Linda Nochlin on Thierry Mugler

Jimmy De Sana

My favorite frilliest puss from The Dinner Party

“So I kept on moving along until I got to be an old woman. Now I got to get back to my childhood, what you call playing in a playhouse. My little old house is just a playhouse, just something to sleep in like it was when I was a child. I love to have a playhouse.” —— Nellie Mae Rowe

My favorite (oxalis) with my favorite (xtine)

🪩🌳⚡️♥️

Maker Hotel Gardener Candle

Alcohols for someone that doesn’t like alcohol

Undercote

I 🖤 NY

👑

Made with Snapchat lol

Water earth fire air. (My very unhappy Fiddle Leaf Fig has suddenly started growing its first new leaves in over a year. What a great omen to wake up to on January 1.)

Happy days! Each + every one

HNY

anti-resolution

Howdy, 2023

Here are 10 habits/routines I've picked up that Feel Good and Useful to Continue into Next Year (and a further reminder as to Why)

Last photo dump of 2022