Try something new this year

Have you come to terms with the fact that it is 2019 yet? I know that I am still shocked. 2018 seems to fly by in the blink of an eye and so far, January of 2019 is doing the same thing, as well. It’s funny because with a new year comes new resolutions, but after the first couple of weeks, many people end up breaking these resolutions and do not follow through with them at all, so I decided to take a new approach instead of the traditional, hard resolutions, such as working out, eating healthy, and cleaning out each room in your home.

Instead, I am making a resolution to try new things and have fun. Each month, I want to brainstorm what I can do that is new and I’ll make it happen. I think this is easier because trying new things is a lot of fun compared to cleaning out a closet, or sweating each night, in hopes of losing weight. How will I start brainstorming? Well, I’ve broken it down into four things that sound fun: I want to try something scary, something fun, something healthy, and something beautiful. From there, I will think of new things that could fit into the category.

Although routines can be beneficial, I want to break out of my stagnant routine and break free and actually live. Huffington Post says, “Have you ever paused to consider the ease at which you follow daily, weekly, and annual routines? Most people wake up at the same time, eat similar things for breakfast, wear the same rotation of clothing, arrive at work at the same time, grab lunch with the same people, watch the same shows at night…yada, yada, yada.

Routines like these become so familiar that we often lose track of the fact that we’re just cruising through life. Despite the fact that we live in an enormous universe with seven different continents, nearly 200 different countries, more than 7 billion people, thousands of languages, and hundreds of thousands of unique experiences, we stick to what we know. Then we wonder why we feel stuck, stale, and stagnant.

Feeling stuck in place is totally normal. What’s not normal is to keep living the same way day after day and year after year. If you were driving through some muddy terrain in your car and your tires got stuck in a ditch, would you just sit there and spin your wheels? No, you’d do everything within your power to get out of the ditch and keeping moving.”

Something Scary

Doing something scary sounds…well, scary, but it can be so good for you. For example, if you are scared to talk in front of people, maybe take a class on public speaking. My friend, Alex, actually just got an opportunity to be hired for a speaking engagement. She has turned down many offers before this, such as the Pinners Conference (for three years straight), and quite a few other speaking engagements, as well, because of the fact that it scared her. But, with this one, she realized that she needs to break past that fear – what’s the worst that can happen? Doing something scary is so good for us because it allows us to not only break past our fears, but it allows us to meet new people and have less stress in our lives about certain things. Skydiving could be categorized as something scary and although it sounds and looks scary, I’ve heard so many people who have had the best experiences of their lives just by taking a chance and going for it.

Something Fun

The next category is ‘something fun.’ This is an never-ending category because I feel like there are always so many fun things I want to do. I know what my first thing is, though. I want to take dance classes at USA Ballroom! USA Ballroom is New Jersey’s Premier Ballroom and Latin Dance Studio and their classes look like they are so much fun! Located out of Red Bank, NJ, they offer dance lesson, as well as socials, to help you get in the groove and become more confident. It does not matter if you are a couple or a single – they are happy to teach you how to dance, no matter what. The lessons they offer are easy, fast, and fun. You will also break a sweat and get a workout in, as well, which is never a bad thing. USA Ballroom is open Monday through Friday from 12-9pm and offer Friday night socials for you to show off the skills you have learned in their dance classes!

Even if you are a seasoned dancer, USA Ballroom has something for you because they approach each client as a unique, special person since dance is so personal and subjective. They have a passion for dancing and it’s their mission to allow yourself to become immersed in the experience, while enjoying yourself. Go check out their studio for more information on how you can learn to be the highlight of the party using your knowledge from the dance lessons at USA Ballroom!

Something Healthy

This section is really important because you need to make sure that you are keeping up with your health throughout the year, in order to do the “fun” things on your list. This could be cooking for a week without going out, removing toxic products from your home, or even just going out and buying a bunch of house plants! It is whatever you make it and want it to be.

Something Beautiful

For this category, most everything I can think of includes travel. I want to travel all over the world, in order to see new, beautiful places. I can think of so many places I want to go such as Italy, Amsterdam, St. Martin, St. Thomas, The Bahamas, Maine, Florida, and so many other places, as well.

Where to Eat, Shop and Explore This Holiday Season

The season of giving and joy is upon us. To celebrate the time of togetherness and tinsel, we’ve gathered some of our favorite haunts, both near and far, so you can make the most of this wonderful time of year.

Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel – Location: 2 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan
A quiet and lavish respite for the city’s stylish elite, lush red velvet adorns this Gramercy Park hideaway. Admire the artwork, sip a delicious craft cocktail and cozy up in one of the custom-designed chairs. Find a sense of calm amid the holiday shopping madness.

Union Square Holiday Market – Location: West 14th Street and Union Square West, Manhattan
This gift bazaar is a staple of the holiday season in the city, offering a veritable range of options for your shopping needs – and wants. Pick up hand-crafted items from local artisans, as you get lost wandering the booth-lined aisles.

Catbird – Location: 219 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn
This Williamsburg boutique has the ideal gifts for the ladies in your life. They offer gorgeous jewelry, from affordable to luxury, that will make anyone smile. You can even personalize your own necklace or ring with a name or quote. Bonus: All of the jewelry is made locally from fair-trade gold and conflict-free stones.

Leuca – Location: 111 North 12th Street, Brooklyn
Say goodbye to winter blues, and enjoy a hearty meal at Leuca, the sun-filled southern Italian restaurant where you can indulge with house-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas. The establishment even opens its doors on Christmas, so you can enjoy fabulous food surrounded by your friends and family.

STORY – Location: 144 10th Avenue, Manhattan
This permanent pop-up shop changes the theme regularly – always telling a new story, so to speak – so you’ll discover something new with each visit. Stop by this month for “Home for the Holidays,” and find a gift for everyone on your list.

If you’re going out of town for the holidays or don’t live in New York, here are some great places to visit in other cities during this time of year.

Boston Public Library – Location: 700 Boylston Street, Boston
The weather outside may be very frightful, but inside this gorgeous, historic building, you’ll find a warm winter escape from the winds. Curl up in a chair with your favorite book in the reading room, or take time to browse all of the options in the stacks.

Casa Loma – Location: 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto
This grand, elaborate castle is a fixture of the Toronto tourist scene and overlooks the city from far atop a hill. The 200,000-square-foot former residence boasts plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. If you’re not that into history, many different movies were filmed here, including Chicago and X-Men.

After you’ve eaten, shopped and explored, find some late-night entertainment such as seeing a Broadway show or comedy show in New York City or the city you’re visiting. There are many great shows to see during the holidays, you can even find last minute Broadway tickets if you can’t plan too far in advance.