Hey y’all!! It has definitely been a while. I’ve really missed blogging and vlogging, and I’m totally ready to dive back into it!!

2018 feels like the longest year ever. In one year I:

-played three roles in Quickies and made my Orlando Fringe Festival debut

-costumed The Wedding Singer for the second time and played a role in the ensemble (which is definitely the most intense ensemble track I’ve ever done!)

-was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder

-played Kitty Verdun in Charley’s Aunt

-tested out some lifestyle and diet changes

-costumed Legally Blonde, which performed in the Dr. Phillips Center in downtown Orlando

-celebrated a whole year at Kilimanjaro Safaris

-played Florence “Flo” Gill in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which challenged my usual typecast (belting a G5 in a corset- that’s a new one for me!)

-celebrated my two year anniversary with my loving boyfriend

-costumed an entire production of Spring Awakening in nine days!

-directed my first production in Orlando

It’s been a really, really busy year! But it’s been a year without any focus. I have goals that I’ve been trying to achieve for ages and haven’t gotten anywhere…mostly because I haven’t retained my focus. This year is all about baby steps and staying focused on the goal ahead.

So what are my goals this year?

#1: Lose Weight

Yeah, I know. I’ve made this goal a million times, lost a few pounds, slacked off, and gained it back. What makes this year different is that I have the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s disease and it’s being treated. I spent most of this year getting my blood tested and checking my levels, and this point I’m almost where I need to be. So if my medication is where it should be, and my thyroid is functioning better than it used to (it’s not at peak condition yet) I should have an easier time losing weight than I have before. The downside of spending the year getting tested and having a chronic illness that causes weight gain…well, my weight has ballooned. Now is the best time to start healthy habits with a better diet and consistent exercise to stop further weight gain and hopefully lose more…seventy pounds of it! Not only is losing weight better for my health, but I know it hampers my performances and my options for roles when I audition, so I look forward to getting to try out for a wider variety of roles.

Diet wise, I’m looking at a low carb/dirty keto diet. I’ve been testing various dietary changes this year, and it looks like my body responds well to cutting out gluten and cutting down on carbs. Dairy doesn’t bother me, which is very exciting! Apparently people with Hashimoto’s do best with around 50 carbs a day rather than the strict 20 carb for traditional keto, so I’m going to do what works best for my body. I’m also determined to drink water, cut back on sugary soda, and stop drinking so much coffee and switch to tea. That I did on accident in the last few weeks, and I can already tell my energy has improved without relying on caffeine!

Along these lines, I really want to take ballet, and right now I’m not in good enough shape to spend the money on classes. If I can lose 40 pounds- about half of my goal, and down to the lowest weight I’ve been since college- I want to start taking ballet classes. And eventually I want to go en pointe!

#2: Take Care of Myself

These are all those little things that help so much but I just don’t think about them. Flossing! Night skincare routine! Meditating! Regular doctor visits! Sunscreen! I have a whole list of little things that in the long run make a big difference.

#3: Make My Wardrobe Function

I don’t wear clothes often. Wait a minute. I should rephrase. I don’t wear cute outfits very often. I either wear my work costume, pajamas, or rehearsal clothes. And none of those are cute. My normal rehearsal outfit is a schlubby tee shirt (most likely with a cartoon character on it) and old yoga pants. My goal for the year is to sort through my wardrobe, get rid of a bunch of items, and make new clothing pieces to improve my wardrobe. I’ve also downloaded the Cladwell app, so hopefully that will also help improve how I style myself.

#4: Get Back to Blogging and YouTube

I’m on a good start for that! I have several months’ worth of ideas stacked up and I’m trying to get ahead of posts. YouTube will be easier now that I have a better phone to film on, and if videos pick up I plan on investing in a good camera and lighting. You can visit my YouTube channel here!

I also want to pay more attention to my neglected Instagram account. I have my main account here, and I started a fitness/diet/health/ballet account here.

#5: Save $1,000

If I save $20 a week, I’ll be in the clear. I just need to be careful about my spending!

#6: Write a Book

I wrote a book once. It took four years and it’s been sitting in a drawer for ten years. And I used to be a prolific fan fiction writer which, laugh all you want, is a fun hobby that allowed me to push the boundaries of my abilities and develop strong skills. I’ve had extensive outlines sitting around for months, and now I want to write 300 words a day and eventually complete a book by the end of the year. Maybe my goal for next year will to get published!

#7: Improve My Home

I’ve lived in the same apartment for almost six years now. I’d like to move to a larger apartment- I really want a dedicated space for sewing, writing, and filming. In the meantime though. I’ve really let my apartment lapse. When you’re dealing with chronic, overwhelming exhaustion, cleanliness is one of the first things to fall by the wayside for me. Shane and I spent the two days before New Years scrubbing, organizing, and doing laundry (we did ten loads and it took the entire second season of 30 Rock to put it away) and we’re going to work hard together to maintain, organize, and decorate our space until we can move.

So those are my goals for 2019! Watch this space for updates. What are your goals for this year? Comment below, I’d love to follow your journey!