It’s so important to make sure we take time to pause and reflect on the things we were lucky enough to experience and get done, even if they weren’t things that were originally on our goal list this year. Maybe things came up that were tough that we had to conquer and we got through it — that’s an accomplishment. Maybe it was something on your goal list and you checked it off like a baller — also an accomplishment. Maybe you developed a new interest and dove in head first in passion — that’s going on the accomplishment list, too. Before you start thinking of resolutions or feeling down on yourself for not crossing off all your original goals for 2017, take a minute and reflect on what you DID do the past twelve months and get a supercharge of self-confidence!
This year I wasn’t the best at documenting my life in comparison to past years, so I’m sure there’s stuff I’m missing, but this is what I came up with that I’m proud of in 2017!
2017 Accomplishments
- No Pants Subway Ride
- Baltimore Scarf Abandonment Project (1st Annual)
- Organized 2nd Annual
- Honk If You… Series
- Membership Group/Support Site
- Life-Size Cut-Out Celebrity Tea Party
- Taught Laura how to knit
- Watched Grey Gardens (read: had life changed)
- Marched on Washington in the biggest protest in history
- Met Ilana Glazer
- Wrote postcards to politicians
- Spray painted my first mural
- Took care of my family while my dad and brother were hospitalized
- Hosted a body positivity group photoshoot
- Stuffed Animal Sleepover
- Saw Against Me! Live again (and Green Day for the first time ever)
- Went to Light City
- Got a job at a flower shop
- Learned how to make a corsage and a boutonniere
- Successfully pranked April/flocked her yard with flamingos
- Had Darian put a tapestry in my hair
- Wore a necklace made of (six) carrots
- Saw a helicopter carrying a car
- Helped make a lip-syncing/dancing through the decades video
- Attended a party with a live gospel choir
- Decorated five giant trees with April for the Overlea Art Festival
- Went to a burn by myself
- Broke down a tent by myself
- Had a rainbow lantern magically fall on my head so I could pay 25 cents for it and take it home
- Heckled a rude cop at a dance recital
- Shoved balloons, umbrellas, pom poms, and other weird things in Joe’s beard every month
- Collaborated on a badass Happy Playlist on Spotify
- Learned more than ever about crystals and all things esoteric
- Hosted the 3rd Annual Bubble Parade
- Attended a handfasting ceremony
- Swam at night
- Moved out and in with Joe
- Helped Maura retrieve her keys from the gutter
- Was commissioned to make interactive table art for Charlotte’s wedding
- Finally left out the EEE Kits with Louis, Laura, and Casey
- Saw fireworks from my front stoop
- Subscribed (and became obsessed with) to Witch Baby Soap
- Got fired for the first time
- Saw Fluid Movement’s end of the summer performance
- Attended an anti-white-supremacist rally
- Started getting Jamberry manicures by Ahleah
- Saw the solar eclipse
- Was recognized on the street
- Twirled in front of the biggest mural EVER
- Dealt with flair ups of Bipolar Disorder
- Went to 29 Rooms in Brooklyn, NY
- Swaddled my Alpaca purse, Felix, after Joe operated on him and I put a band-aid on the wound
- Made a book of things Laura’s friends love about her as a gift to cheer her up
- Celebrated three years with Joe
- Had a Halloween DIY party at my house
- Saw Dylan Moran live
- Had someone quote me on social media like I was Oprah or something
- Saw an Egyptian dancer perform for the first time
- Got taco-themed best friends bracelets for me and Maura
- Sifting through dirt and a running stream of water for gemstones
- Dressed up as Little Edie for Halloween
- Learned about and experimented with Feng Shui and Abundance/Prosperity work
- Built a scarecrow
- Sent happy mail to my Uncustomary Babes every month
- Went to the Renaissance Fair
- Explored the Museum Of Unnatural History
- Climbed the hill to see what remains of Hell House
- Decorated my house for every season/holiday
- Hosted a Kindness Rocks event
- Named a squirrel who eats our pumpkins, Jack
- Started using Voxer
- Got invited to a press event to explore Baltimore’s Christmas Village
- Received more love notes than ever
- Lost 25 pounds
- Got a custom carved candle and burned the entire thing
- Watched Maura get served what can only be described as a Pea Taco
- Had someone talk about me to one of my friends and say, “You know her in real life?!”
- Was asked to participate in Baltimore’s RAW Art Show
- Started an illustration collaboration with Caroline of Kittypinkstars
- Finally found raw Ammonite
- Did a bunch of domestic activities while wearing a unicorn mask
- Isolated myself from my neighbors (see above)
What’s on your list this year?
Photo: Maura Housley
Wow, you accomplished so many really awesome things! I need to start keeping track of all my little successes!
My biggest things:
Finishing my master’s degree, becoming a CPA (officially on Nov 17!), meeting an amazing man who is now my boyfriend that lets me work through all my issues & is there for me for anything I need, started working full time (was an intern for the company 3 times, finally an employee!!), started cooking more meals at home that didn’t involve the microwave, and did better with disconnecting from technology to spend more quality time with my daughter (still a struggle!).
These are such amazing things! Yes yes yes! Congratulations a ton times over, wow! Thank you for sharing 🙂
As I read your list I kept saying “holy crap that DID happen this year!” It is amazing all that has happened. You are amazing Mary.
Haha yay!! Thanks babe
This year, I have self-published a new book! I also spent three days and two nights on a tall ship for the Tall ship gathering in Quebec City, I participated in the Santa Claus parade in my city, and I kept being able to pay my rent and my food even though I’m not earning a lot of money with my job that isn’t really a “real” job, but leaves me plenty of time to work on my books and other projects!
Whoa that’s awesome!! I love it all! Congrats, Myriam!!
Thank you! Your list of accomplishments is very amazing, Mary!
Thank you, I appreciate that! Every year is a totally new thing! Anything you’re excited to work on in 2018?
Well, I’ll keep working on one of my stories, a story I’ve been working on for at least a million years! But in the last few months, I took the time to read the whole thing from the start, and I want to make a detailed outline of what will happen next, so I can write faster and more easily, so I can have a new book soon!