My 2018 Resolutions

I’ve never been a huge fan of New Years resolutions. Every few weeks or months I feel like I set new goals or resolutions for me to complete, and while I’m not always successful, I enjoy going through this routine. But this year feels different. I’ll be turning 24 in April and maybe I just want to be more clear in my progress as a person. Or maybe because of the political reality we’re in, I feel the need to do more and be more. Whatever my reasons truly are, here’s a look at my resolutions for 2018.

Dreaming Out Loud

“Cause every night I lie in bed
The brightest colors fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it’s gonna take
A million dreams for the world we’re gonna make”

I find myself dreaming a lot every single day, but usually have a hard time articulating them to other people. Maybe it’s because my ideas are too out there. Or there are too many immediate needs to take care of that I don’t want to spend time sharing out these big ideas. But when I saw The Greatest Showman a couple of weeks ago, a fantastic musical movie about the life of PT Barnum, I was really struck by his passion for sharing and fulfilling his dreams. The lyrics above illustrate this so clearly. To make our communities and world a better place, we need to use our imagination and share our dreams for what “better” looks like. So, how do I want to do this in 2018?

1. Weekly (hopefully) blog posts on here thinking about the big issues of our world
2. Joining conversations and organizations who are examining and acting upon issues I’m passionate about
3. Express myself and be more vulnerable with the people in my life

Tangible Resolutions:

I’m super energized by my ideas for dreaming out loud in 2018! I also want to make sure that I have some more tangible goals for the coming year. In addition to being specific, they are also part of dreaming out loud because they’re helping give me the tools to fulfill my dream of feeling and spreading a Judaism that truly makes the world a better place. So, what do those look like?

1. Study for and take the GRE (see #2)
2. Prepare to apply for rabbinical school (not sure if I’ll apply this year)
3. Find a new job (my current fellowship job with URJ ends at the end of May)

Like I said earlier, I haven’t always been a fan of New Years resolutions. But why not try something new in 2018? Whether you have resolutions yourself or not, I hope that this year is one of meaning, growth, and love for you. Happy 2018!