it's my 25th birthday!

i've learned an awful lot during my 25 years, especially about myself. while i always think it's a good idea to revisit and reflect on your past and how you've changed, this time last year was one of my darkest, and i've done enough self-reflection the past twelve months to last me a while. on this day, my 25th birthday, i'm the happiest, most confident, most comfortable in my skin i have ever been and it feels so good! so i'm not looking back today. today, i'm looking forward. here's 25 things i'd like to do on this trip around the sun:

run a half marathon

read two books each month

celebrate the anniversary of my first year with nick 

on a beach somewhere with lots of margaritas ❤

purge my closet(s) and basically everything else

adopt a morning routine

organize an actual filing system for my important documents

travel to/up/down the west coast

maintain my mental health

transition to a pescetarian diet

attend detroit flower week

take my interest in calligraphy more seriously 

and practice practice practice!

keep all of my plants alive

go on hikes in cool parks with nick on the weekends

instead of sleeping in until 1pm

frame and hang all of the artwork i have taped to my walls

donate any time and money i can to people and organizations 

that are threatened by the current administration

(make an honest attempt to) take up yoga

attend all the taco festivals within driving distance

invest in a good, solid wardrobe reflective of my style and aesthetic

document my life more consistently through photos and words

visit my friend sophie in florida

turn the individual tattoos on my right arm into a cohesive piece

save money (!!!)

consistently call/facetime/text/visit my friends and family

finally host a fall party at my apartment for all my friends!

&

hire a photographer to do a little couple's session of nick and me

unapologetic

i am working on being more unapologetic, on being me without questioning it

i don't want to be sorry
for the number of instagram photos and stories i post of my cats
that i drink too much wine at any point in time
that i stand up for what's right,
 for what i believe is right
for tagging my boyfriend in an average of three viral fb posts per day
for being emotional,
for crying when i think of something that makes me sad,
 something that makes me happy

i want to be unapologetic
of my feistiness and my refusal to settle
of my ridiculously particular eating habits
of my general outrageousness and mild rosacea and my deep, impenetrable hatred of 70º and warmer

i'm sick of being sorry and feeling guilty and apologizing for every single move i make
so i'm working on being more unapologetic,
on being me without questioning it