When I sat down on New Year’s Eve to reflect on the past year and think ahead for the coming one, I was at a bit of a loss. I couldn’t remember the resolutions or goals that I had set the year before (if I did). Instead, I wrote pages of quick notes about my memories from the year and what matters to me right now.

The more I wrote, the more I realized I didn’t want to set out to change a habit or hit a mileage goal or give up sugar. It just didn’t feel right this time around.

I’m setting intentions, not resolutions.

I want to give myself focus and a way to prioritize the things I do. I grew a lot last year, and I really tapped into what makes me happy. I want to continue some things, and dive deeper into others.

So this year, I’m all about priorities or focus. I’m not making new goals or resolutions. They aren’t measurable or tightly defined. At least not to start. There may be times where I do something like the 30-day writing challenge that does give a measurable task, but overall these will be my touchstones, my guiding purpose.

My intentions for 2016: Creativity, health, simplicity, and adventure.

This year I want to make more time for my creativity. I want to do more of the things that made me happy last year, and explore the things that left me feeling at peace and fulfilled (like journaling and blogging more).

On top of that, I’m starting the year with a healing ankle and a deep desire to better nourish and care for my body. The things my body can do bring me a ton of joy and a sense of self. Once I’m healed up, you will certainly find me building my base so I can run and lift to my heart’s desire.

I plan to continue to simplify my life and make more time for the things that get me talking too fast and unable to control my excitement. I want to avoid the trap of busyness and consciously choose what fills my time (and brain).

Mini-trips, across-the-world travel, trying something new – they all fall into adventure. I want to keep pushing my comfort zone and exploring the world around me. I want to say yes to the things that scare me, and make it to a bucket-list destination (or two).

Where to start

Want to set some intentions for yourself? I suggest:

1. Give yourself 5-10 minutes to write down all of the things you remember from the last year.

2. Take 2-3 minutes to look over what you wrote and pick out the things that came up a lot and made you happy.

3. Jot down all of the things you would like to focus on this year.

4. Pick out the ones that are the most important to you and assign them to a category or defining word.

It’s so easy to hoard digitally without realizing it. Files from college (guilty), blurry photos, emails from the past decade – they all add up.

After taming my physical clutter, I was ready to go after my online life. For the past few years I have made sure to keep my work and personal email inbox clear, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I cleared out my folders or archive.

The process took a lot longer than I expected. I spent hours (many hours) cleaning out cloud-based file storage, emails, and more.

Here’s how I tackled my digital declutter:

1. Online File Storage

I went through every entry in my Evernote and deleted every file from my Dropbox account (all 10 of them). I also sorted through my Google Drive and made sure everything worthy of being saved was in a folder. While tedious, this one had an immediate feeling of accomplishment.

2. Computer

I put this one off to be honest. When my computer died the last time, it was stuffed to the brim with files from high school and college. So instead of dealing with any of it, I slapped it all on my external hard drive and called it a day. Which is about how long it took me to get through it all. The high school work got the easy boot, but sorting through my stuff from college, and in particular anything I have had published, was a pain.

I saved more than I would have liked, but I had doubts about getting rid of notes and contacts for stories I have had published. It’s something I am going to keep coming back to when I have time.

3. Phone

I don’t have a ton of apps, but I deleted the few left that I hadn’t used in a while. I also backed up my phone and deleted a ton of photos and old notes. I cleaned out all of my missed calls, old voice mails, and deleted a ton of text messages/conversations (you’re never going to go back and read them all. Really). Since I use Spotify and I can listen to stuff offline through the app, I deleted the music I had put on my phone… and temporarily filled it with new podcasts to listen to.

4. Email

This was where I started. It was easy to clean out each inbox and then go through my folders one by one when I had a couple of extra minutes. I could delete emails in line at the grocery store on my phone, while watching tv, or in meetings at work. I cut all of my accounts at least in half, and it is so much easier to find things now. Bonus tip: your sent folder is stuffed with things you don’t need.

I also don’t have a lot of unnecessary email coming into my personal account (work is a whole other thing thanks to PR databases that let companies spam me with unwanted press releases and other junk). If you get hundreds of emails a day, I highly recommend unsubscribing from the things you don’t need/enjoy. I’ve also created filters for emails I have to hold on to, but that don’t need my attention (likely daily data reports and the like). I’ve also created filters for people who tend to send me chain mail and other things so I can scan through them all at once instead of having them jam my inbox.

An empty inbox makes it easier for me to focus at work and for emails to not bog me down. I never have to apologize for missing an email and I rarely forget to get back to someone with this system.

5. Social Media

I went through my Pinterest and deleted pins I’m no longer interested in or that I have cooked and didn’t turn out. This was an easy place for me to start because I don’t have any attachments really to my pins. From there I tried to delete my Tumblr account (and failed to get in after multiple attempts to reset my password. I gave up. It’s as good as gone if you ask me).

I hardly spend any time on Facebook, mostly because my feed is full of ads and weird videos I’d rather not see. I thought about massively cutting the amount of friends I have on the site, but I use it more as a way to be able to find someone and get in contact with them again in the future than a way to share my personal life. In other words, Facebook is the email I never use, but I’m glad I have when I want to reach out to someone from elementary school (or college).

Instead, I went to this link and moved the majority of my Facebook friends to “acquaintances.” I have yet to actually go to my feed to see the impact… but it’s nice to know it’s all cleaned up now.

On Instagram I took a quick look at the people I follow and I made sure they add value to my life. Lately I spend most of my social media time on Instagram, and I’d rather not waste it or spend excessive time. I’m also trying to be extremely conscious about who I follow and why in the future.

6. Photos

It turns out I had a lot of weird screen shots and other things I don’t actually need. I didn’t delete much here and I ran out of time to organize them like I had planned, but everything is off my phone and computer, which is great.

7. Browser

It only took a couple of buttons to clear all of my cookies, browsing history, and I don’t know what else in Chrome.

I got rid of thousands of files that were being invisibly hoarded. Not only will my devices likely run faster, but it’s easier for me to find what I’m looking for.

While I didn’t get the grand feeling of staring at a pile of things going away, a clean and organized device feels an awful lot like a newly minimized drawer.

Yesterday I fell down the blog black hole of year in reviews. There’s something comforting about reading about other people’ triumphs, travels, milestones, and struggles. A year is a long time, and yet it often feels like it flies.

I started jotting down the memories that stood out to me the most from 2015, and I realized just how much time it was. 2015 was an amazing year – it had some lowlights, but it had even better highs.

My 2015 highlights

I went to Spain! My first time out of the country (sorry, Canada, you don’t count).

I got strong. Real strong. My ankles healed, I built up my fitness, and I dove head first into olympic lifting and running.

I wrote a TV commercial… still weird to say. And begged Adam Savage to come play with us.

I made it through my first full training cycle without an injury… twice!

I hit a major half marathon PR that has me ready for more.

Minimalism was no longer something I just thought about a lot. I cut back on the time I spent watching tv, cleaned out the excess stuff and obligations out of my life, and made finding my essentials a priority. A touchstone.

I fell in love with writing all over again, and recommitted to my creativity.

In May I celebrated a year at my first full time job. Plus sprinkled in a little freelancing to indulge my other interests.

I moved closer to work, and experienced the joys of a shorter commute and more time for the things that truly matter to me.

Went camping twice, thus tripling the amount of times I had been camping in my life.

I started the year with a mild concussion and ended it with a massive sprained ankle. But winter is for resting, right?

Maybe I didn’t hit my original goals. 2015 might not have started off quite as I had hoped. There were times where I was disappointed, where tears were shed. But looking back, I remember 2015 as a year of taking risks. As a time of going all in on the things that I loved. As an adventure. Happy.

One of my goals for this year was to make more time to read. In the fall I was able to trade in a long commute for more time curled up with a book. There were times where I was tearing through three books at once and other’s where reading felt like weeding an overgrown garden.

From life-changers to guilty pleasures, this year was full of great reads. I’ve included pictures of everything I read this year (thanks to GoodReads), and pulled out some of my favorites (in chronological order).

My 2015 top reads:

1. The Goldfinch

2. I’ll Give You The Sun. Weird, captivating.

3. Me Before You. There’s a reason everyone read it this year.

4. Steal Like an Artist. This is one of the few on this list that I would consider possibly life-changing. It’s a short, visual book, and yet every page I thought “This is it. This is what I need.” Austin Kleon brought fun back to my creativity and inspired me to try new things.

5. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. I saw the movie first and I couldn’t get the story out of my head. The book was even better (which is saying something given how great the movie was).

6. Station Eleven. I avoid dystopia (especially after Margaret Atwood’s uplifting Oryx and Crake), but I devoured this book. I haven’t thought of an airplane the same since.

7. Irritable Hearts, a PTSD Love Story. Yeah… count me out for international tk reporting. I’m good.

8. The Martian. I’ve said a lot about it.

9. Creativity, Inc. gives me hope for a creative future at work.

10. The Girl in the Spider’s Web. Read in a single sitting on a flight from Madrid to Toronto.

11. Essentialism.

12. The Opposite of Loneliness. Life’s short, much too short for some us. Don’t waste it with things you don’t love.

13. Big Magic. Another life-changer/ eye-opener. I’ve recommitted to journaling and frequent blogging thanks to this one.

14. We Are Called to Rise. I cried.

15. Bad Feminist. Hilarious. Heart-breaking. Inspiring. Anger-inducing.

Each day this week I was preparing for it to be the last time I was able to hit the Minsgame goal for the day.

I’ve gone through every drawer, container, closet (to be fair, I only have one), and my car at least twice. I have heavily exercised the Minimalist’s 20/20 rule (if you can replace the item in less than 20 minutes for less than $20 and you don’t need it now, let it go). I have spread things in front of me and questioned if they still brought me joy or just memories of past joy.

I finally feel like I’m done.

Part of me has been hung up on trying to match what people like The Minimalists have. I wanted the least I could still be content and happy with. But I was getting caught up in the number of things everyone owned – the exact things that filled their space and lives.

It’s not about the number.

It’s about cutting out the excess so my space, and my life, is about what I want it to be.

I made it through day 22 with physical items (and I only partially regretted the harsh rules I set out for myself at the beginning). I’m happy with how I did. I pushed through the difficult days, and I’m finally at a place where I don’t feel like more needs to go. I found my stopping point, my current equilibrium.

I could likely be more harsh. I could live with less. I could cut to the bare essentials, but I don’t feel the need to. I am happy having a few extra pairs of socks and to not have to wash clothes in the sink after I go for a run.

I am content and at peace with what I have.

This week I got rid of more than 148 physical things and hopefully the constant, lurking feeling that I have too much.

So what am I going to do for week four?

I’m attacking my digital clutter.

Every year I feel like Christmas comes out of nowhere! Since I very strongly fear malls, I prefer not to buy things people don’t need, and my timing is terrible, I have gotten pretty good at last-minute homemade gift ideas.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Cookies. Best “wrapped” in a cute jar or on a nice plate the recipient can reuse.

2. Jewelry. From friendship bracelets to trendy beads to macrame, these are my go-to.

3. Homemade hot chocolate mix. I’m a sucker for just about any food in a jar. (See also, dinner in a jar.)

4. Luxurious body butter.

5. A favorite, freezer-friendly meal. It’s hard to beat the thoughtfulness and enjoyment that comes from being able to heat up a quick, lovingly made meal in a pinch.

6. Candles. I made these last year and they were a big hit. I like unscented best, and they burn really well in a smaller jar.

7. Knit or crochet a scarf. The closer it is to Christmas, the bigger the needle/hook to finish in time.

8. A makeup bag or pouch.

9. A heat pack. Shamelessly on my wish-list for this year.

10. Custom bobby pins. Or these gemstone bobby pins.

11. Origami ornaments. I’m tempted to attempt to make these for myself… even though I don’t have a tree.

12. A modern tote.

13. Clever art! I wish I was this crafty.

14. An iPad stand. Gorgeous.

The Minsgame got harder than I expected real quick. I’m actually starting to worry I won’t make it to the finish.

But for the most part this week, I would start to fret that I didn’t have enough things left to get rid of, and then suddenly I would have more items than I needed for the day. I have a few things stockpiled for week three, but they won’t get me very far.

This week another 92 things are out of my space.

I’m running out of unchartered territory. I’ve been through nearly every shelf, drawer, and container of my things, which means I’m going to have to make a second pass and face the decisions I’ve been avoiding.

While I’ve had the one in, one out rule for a few years now, the Minsgame has really made me question purchases before I make them. It’s been eye-opening to gather so much of my stuff in one place and realize I don’t need it and I rarely use it. It has made me really think about what I spend my money on and how much I really need.

The Minsgame has also made what really matters to me and the things that bring me joy really apparent.

My drawers keep getting more roomy – except one. I’ve gotten rid of a few pieces of exercise gear, but overall, I use everything I have. It seems crazy to have a drawer stuffed with clothes to sweat in, but when I took everything out, I realized that outside of a few pieces, it all gets worn frequently.

I could certainly live with less, but right now it’s more important to me to not have to worry about trying to wash mid-week. I have enough to get me through a full week of running, lifting, swimming, yoga, and any other sweaty activities I may be doing.

Why I’m really doing the Minimalism Game:

When I started the Minsgame I had recently gone through a major clean out from moving. I didn’t choose to do it because my stuff is overwhelming, but rather because I wanted to finally be done obsessing about what to get rid of. I wanted the decluttering and the worrying that I had too much to stop.

So this is it, my last big cut. The last time I dig through every nook and cranny daily. The last time I go to bed thinking about what else can go.

My phone doesn’t make any noise. At all. It doesn’t vibrate or chime or randomly play music. It’s finally a distraction-free phone.

It’s fantastic.

I didn’t like when my phone interrupted me, startled me out of thought with a vibration or a lit up screen. I can’t stand notifications or the constant stare of the little red circles with how many things I still have to deal with.

10 unread emails. Look at me. Look at me. LOOK AT ME!

So I turned it all off. The only notifications I get are for text messages and calls. Nothing else pops up across my screen. My unread emails don’t stare at me from my home screen. People I follow on social media can’t interrupt a phone call. My apps only get my attention when I open them.

When I need to focus, I can turn my phone face down and completely forget it’s there.

It’s peaceful. I look at it when I need to, not when it’s crying out for attention.

I know it’s not my phones fault. But we have a better relationship now that we’ve set some boundaries.

I don’t worry about missing “important” calls. I’m not expecting the president to call anytime soon, so returning a call doesn’t seem like the end of the world. My family and friends (even my grandmother) text me instead of calling, and most people know that I keep my phone on total silence and only check it occasionally.

If I am waiting for something truly important (a scheduled call, a friend who might need timely directions, the food delivery person telling me they have arrived), I keep my phone next to me face up. The light from the screen is enough to get my attention. If I can’t have it in my line of sight, only then will I turn on the vibration.

It’s changed the way I interact with my phone.

When I first switched it to total silent, I was constantly going to look for my phone to see if anyone had messaged me. I started to realize just how much I was looking at my phone. Minutes would go by and I would find myself walking back to it to check it again.

After a while I stopped checking. I started leaving it in other rooms. Forgetting to take it out of my bag when I got to work. Running to the store quickly without it.

It was liberating. The knowledge that I didn’t have to respond right away, that no one would be upset, the world wouldn’t end, was like being told you didn’t have to go to school that day.

Now when my phone distracts me, it’s because of something I am doing. It’s in my control to turn it face down, to put it in my bag, to leave it on my dresser, to stop starting at it. I’m working on resisting the urge to pull out my phone when I have a free second or I want to avoid what I’m actually doing. I don’t have games, and Twitter and Facebook got the boot a while ago (I still use Instagram, although I’m trying to limit how much). Each time I don’t give it my attention is another step in the right direction.