Humans are extremely adaptable. We're always trying to look better, do better, be better. I'm no different. I wouldn't be human if I claimed as much.

       Last year, I set out some goals for myself to complete before my 25th birthday. Almost all of them were rather grand schemes despite me labelling them as 'simple'. I'm actually quite surprised that I ended up completing two out of the three. I detailed that in a post I made yesterday which you can read here.

       I made 2018 hard for myself with those goals. Losing weight was the worst of them. It was a miserable task. If you want to ramp up your own self-loathing to 11, then seriously, try a new diet. I guarantee you'll hate yourself with a burning passion by hour three. And I did that for six months! Not a great plan for someone with severe depression like myself. Lots of suicidal thoughts. It was dumb of me to pursue weight loss without any mental health support. No, not dumb. Dangerous. I should've known better. So this year, I plan to be better to myself. I'm still going to have goals, but I'm done with pressuring myself. For 2019, I'm going simple!

Before I Turn 26 I Want To:

• Write More
• Plan My Wedding
• Look After My Mental Health

       We'll see how I do in a year from now. Maybe I'll achieve all three goals, maybe none—actually sort of need to finish wedding planning— but I won't know until all is said and done. I'm excited to try though, and that's a good feeling to have.

-Dana.

What are your goals for 2019? Do you believe in making new years resolutions? Do you prefer to just enjoy life as it happens? Let me know in the comments!

How did you change over this last year? Did you complete any of your goals? Did you put too much pressure on yourself to finish your resolutions? Sound off down below!

      I've never really noticed before when one part of my life ended. When I turned the page and a whole new path opened up before me. Of course, it's happened many times in my 24 years on this Earth. When I started school, when my illness first struck, when puberty hit, when I discovered my sexuality...the list of chapters in my life seems endless, but I could hardly tell you at the time when the changeover from one to another occurred.

      Today, I can see it. The next stage of my life is right there in front of me. I can feel it coiled around my finger. I'm not sure why it's now that I can finally comprehend the gravity of what lies ahead. Am I older and therefore wiser? Do I have a clearer mind than usual? Maybe it's both. Maybe it's neither. I think the reason for my sudden recognition of the change is simply because I believe in it's purpose. Because I'm excited for the next step and I want nothing more than to throw my whole being forward to fully embrace this next chapter.

      Over the weekend, my loving partner found the perfect moment to ask about sharing a life together. These last three years together have been some of the best of my life. After my tumultuous time abroad, and constant health struggles, I started fresh when I found him. I learned to take better care of myself, I expanded my horizons and I found out what real, healthy relationships were supposed to feel like. Nothing could have prepared me for that transition, but I'm so glad to have lived through it.

      Now, together, we're starting a new chapter of our story—rather than his or mine—the first of hopefully many to come. We have a year and a bit until the big celebration of our love, and this time of preparation is a chapter of its own. We're planning not only the creation of our union, but the future that we want to build.  This time will test us, and overwhelmingly stress us. However, I couldn't be more excited to face the unknown because I know that as I jump off this cliff, turn this page, walk down this shadowy unmarked trail, someone else is there with me for the first time in my life. And they're holding my hand.

-Dana.

"Did you ever recognize the beginning of a new life stage while you were in it? What did that feel like? Or have you only ever noticed the changes after they'd long since passed? Let me know in the comment section!"

Then this October I was invited on a ski trip for January. A ski trip to an Olympic ski hill in a whimsical mountain village covered in snow where we would stay in cozy wooden lodge with a hot tub. Only a fool would've said no to this. Problem was I had never skied before and my athleticism was considerably lacking (see reference to failing gym class above).

I was enthusiastic though and since everyone else on the trip was going onto the slopes I didn't want to be the spoil sport. Yes, I totally agreed to jump off that bridge with all my friends. It was certainly an experience and here's my step by step guide for all you ski-newbies out there.

Step 1- Rent Equipment Ahead of Time

If you're a first time skier, you don't really know whether you're going to love or hate the sport. Heck, you don't even know if you'll be any good at it the first time. Skis alone can set you back a few hundred. Your money is better spent on a good equipment rental from a local business on the mountain. 

Most popular ski resorts have rental businesses very close to the lifts which offer packages that will usually include helmets, poles, skis and boots. You can call or go online to order ahead of time. The rental places can run out of equipment some days, so by reserving the equipment ahead of time you don't have to worry about being left out.

Step 2 - Dress Appropriately

Now, most people understand the basic concept of mountain = cold, so they'll dress warm. However, skiing requires certain type of winter wear. The last thing you want to be is both cold and wet while on the slopes so you'll want a water-proof snow jacket and a pair of water-proof snow pants. Make sure to get proper winter gloves, possibly water-proof too. A touq to keep your head and ears warm is also a good plan, make sure it's thin enough to fit into a helmet.

Another must that I learned a little too late was some type of sun-protection either heavy duty sunglasses or ski-goggles. This can be difficult if you wear only glasses like I do, but believe me...You don't want to be blind going down a mountain at top speed.

Step 3 - Practice Makes Perfect
Make sure that once you're fully outfitted in your ski-gear and winter attire that you don't just climb on to the ski-lift and head up to black-diamond runs. You need to know how to maneuver before you can actually ski. There are usually small areas at the bottom of different runs where you can shuffle around a bit to get the hang of skis. I found it much easier to go backwards than forwards for some reason, so taking the time to figure out how to move around and get your bearings is key.

If you have the money, get ski lessons. They are so worth it. You might even get to practice on these neat little conveyor belts for beginners. If you don't want to fork over the extra cash for lessons, get a friend to spend some time showing you the basics. Either way, learning the proper footwork, how to break, and how to control your speed are super important. A move my friends taught me was called the "Pizza". You move the front tips of your skis together, not crossing, to form a pizza slice or wedge shape and this will help you break and slow down.

Step 4 - Get Proper Directions
I cannot stress this one enough. Please, make sure you know exactly which run you're going to and exactly how to get there. If you're a beginner, you should not be on black diamond runs. It can be dangerous and you could get seriously hurt or worse. The signage on the mountains may not be very clear, so you should always double check your directions before riding the ski-lift.

Always be sure to thoroughly examined the ski hill map and pick out a run beforehand. Also, ask a local guide about which runs you should be doing and how to get there. jot down the information and reference your map to be safe. You can also ask a friend who knows the mountain pretty well for advice on different runs and what to avoid. This way, you should know exactly where you're going to have the best experience as a beginner.

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This list was born out of my first ski experience which ended in a spectacularly terrible way that I now look back on and laugh about. I didn't take lessons first, I didn't have goggles or sunglasses, and I only had a vague idea of what runs I should be on. So the fact that I ended up with a concussion in the hospital by midday should be no surprise.

What ended up happening was, after spending five minutes wriggling around in the snow at the bottom of the hill to get a feel for my skis, I boarded the nearest ski-lift and headed straight up the mountain. From there, I hopped off the lift and tried to find any signage for an easy run, but there wasn't any. I was fairly sure I had taken the right lift to an easier area, so I just shuffled over to the nearest slope and attempted to ski. After about 50 m, I was scared by my speed and wobbled. Some how, and even the mountain rescue workers didn't understand how what I did was possible, I managed to flip forward and land on my face with my forehead taking the brunt of the fall. The helmet saved my life, but I still had a concussion when they found me laying in the snow like beached whale. The most fun part was laying in a special stretcher and being skied down the mountain by a rescue worker.

Overall, I had a fun trip and I look back on the experience fondly. It was a good life lesson for me and it became a funny story for me to tell to other ski newbies as a way to get them to smarten up and prepare properly for their own mountain adventures.

Dana~