hi guys and happy new years! i hope you all had a fantastic new years eve and got to ring in the new year with the ones you love.  i wanted to do a quick recap of some of my favorite posts from 2012.  i think it's always fun to look back at how the blog (and i!) have grown throughout the year!

january:
20 resolutions for 20-somethings, a so-cal blogger meet up video, santa barbara & solvang blogger trip.

february:
a so cal blogger meetup, how to plan a meetup, another video, & a trip to disneyland

march:
blogger night out, the launch of tourist tuesdays, and eleven things about me

april:
30 by 30: what we should have & know, a confession and paint & wine night blogger night

may:
dodger game vip style, my summer must haves, being independent & interesting, 38 perfect summer trips & a stagecoach recap

june:
a post on being a dreamer, how i feel about my self worth, 5 fun and affordable summer dates & my summer bucket list

july:
some blogger 411, if you really knew me, a post about friendship & some great so cal camping

august:
back to school, 25 things to do before you turn 25 & a trip to the fair

september:
a girls trip to palm springs, to vegan or not to vegan, my fall lust list, fighting my weight, a weekend to remember & a post for revlon expressions experiment

october:
things that make me happy & things i believe in

november:
a guys gift guide for under $50, my list for santa, thoughts on black friday, wanderlusting & giving thanks

december:
a christmas kick off, some peppermint oreo yummies, the funny thing about life & 12 things i learned in 2012

do you have a favorite post from you blog from 2012?  if you do, i'd love to read it!  

recap post from 2011 found here

12 things i learned in 2012

2012 was a sort of "re-birth" year for me.  there were many ups and downs throughout the year but i'm happy to say i'm ending the year on a high note.  i'm happier than i've been in a long time and i can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for me.  i'm ready to continue on my path to loving me and fulfilling all my goals and dreams.  

here are 12 things i learned in 2012 ...

1. the only person who matters most in my life is myself.  putting me first is never a bad thing.  i am my number one priority and that will never change.  my happiness comes first. 

2. work / life balance is important.  leave work at work.  there's no need to stress about what's going on at work when i'm not there.  enjoy time off with friends and family, they are more important.

3. kindness matters.  always be kind to the people around you, even if they don't necessarily deserve it.  lending a helping hand to someone who you just want to punch in the face goes a lot further than giving them a black eye ever will.

4. set aside me time.  doing things for myself - even little things like a solo coffee date or a trip to the movies - make all the difference in the world.  enjoy my time alone to recharge and regroup.

5. family is family.  no matter the trials and rough patches, they will always be there for me.  learn to look past the "negative" and focus on the positive of the relationships.  love them for who they are.

6. friends are important and staying in contact with them is a valuable thing.  

7. never underestimate a new haircut and color.  as much as i may not want to spend the money on it, it will always make me feel like a new person.  i always deserve to look my best. 

8. saving money feels good.  knowing that my money is going towards school, my car and other important things is more satisfying than spending it on cheap clothes and coffee.  but, don't ever hesitate to treat myself if i need to. 

9. when i start to get sick, i need to stop.  i have to take better care of myself and know when to put on the brakes.  going a million miles an hour is fun, but not when it ends with a day or two spent sick in bed.

10. celebrate the little accomplishments.  got a raise?  i'll drink to that!  an A on an exam?  pick up that cd i've been wanting.  celebrating the little things keeps me motivated to accomplish the big things.

11. online classes suck.  i learn more in class and feel more fulfilled by what i'm learning.  from now on, no more online classes.  they do nothing for me. 

12. it doesn't hurt to ask for help.  going to therapy was the biggest reason i have been able to overcome my past and look brightly towards my future. 

i can't wait to see what lies ahead on my journey.  so many things to look forward in 2013, lots of goals and dreams to accomplish and lots of wishes that i hope i can make come true. so, bring it on, 2013, i'm ready!

20 Resolutions for 20-Somethings

Source: camillestyles.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

a friend of mine posted this on facebook and i couldn't help but share it.  as much as it's supposed to be a little funny, it's also makes a lot of sense.  i know i could definitely work on a few of the things on this list. 

1. Before you status update, Tweet, Tumble or Instagram, pause and say to yourself, “is it entirely necessary that I share this morsel of thought with my entire social network?”and if the answer is not, “yes, I absolutely must,” then step away from the Internet.
2. Know which candidate you’re going to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, and know why.
3. Enough with the 14-day juice cleanses. If you want to lose a little weight quickly, eat less and exercise like crazy. If you want to lose a lot of weight slowly, do whatever Jennifer Hudson did.
4. If you really like the person you’re hooking up with and would like them to be your boyfriend/ girlfriend, find a way to tell them, and hope for the best. If you don’t and wouldn’t, stop.
5. Find a way to save approximately 300 dollars and spend it on a flight to see a friend or family member who lives far away.
6. Please stop liking the Kardashians, all of them. It’s not helping anyone, least of all the Kardashians.
7. Spend less than or equal to the money you earn each month.
8. Wear clothes that fit you, especially to work.
9. Call someone on the phone at least once a week, and speak to him or her for at least ten minutes.
10. Start preparing now to get over the fact that Facebook is probably going to change again in six months. You’re not going to deactivate your account. You don’t know how.
11. Wait 30 seconds before you look up a fact you can’t remember on your phone, and try to remember it using your brain. This is what the olden days were like.
12. Replace one terrible reality show you’re currently watching with one wonderful scripted show currently available on television. Swap suggestion: Real Housewives of Anywhere for HBO’s Enlightened.
13. Try that food you think you don’t like but have never actually tried, unless it’s brussels sprouts. They really don’t need any more attention.
14. Cut one person out of your life who you truly do not like and add one person who you truly do. Note: not on Facebook, on Earth.
15. If you’re still blacking out regularly, you should stop.
16. Volunteer once over the next 90 days. You’ll feel really good about it, and probably end up volunteering again over the next 275.
17. Tell someone who you love that you love them on a more regular basis. To their face, not in a text.
18. Back up your entire online life onto an external hard drive, especially your photos.
19. Crap or get off the pot. This applies to whatever thing you’re not doing that you should just sack up and do already.
20. And in the eternal words of Tom Haverford, “TREAT YO SELF!”