2016 was the most important and best year of my life. I finished my MBA, got a promotion, got married, traveled further from home then I ever have, and found out my lovely wife is pregnant!

Following a huge year, I’ve got my sights set on a few ambitious (but totally reasonable) goals. Here we go.

Minimalize (now)

You know what a baby on the way means? I’m getting a new roommate! Maybe we’ll move into a bigger house one day. For now, I’ll be experimenting with the minimalist mindset to make some space. As you probably guessed it involves a lot of purging stuff/junk. But I think the hardest thing will be massively downsizing my wardrobe. I’m going to form a capsule wardrobe focused on my casual office attire, and hopefully the rest will follow. Chris Reining has an awesome writeup/pictures to help me get started.

Start a Business (soon)

No doubt, an MBA changed my life for the better. Why not put that knowledge to a true test? There are plenty of options out there, and it doesn’t have to be complex. Since I already get plenty of development at the office, I’m leaning towards a non-software related idea. Rental property, franchise, or a drop shipping venture are all candidates.

Routine Reading (once a month)

Read (at least) one book a month. I love reading, but it is always so sporadic. This way I hope for it to become part of my regular routine. Goodreads is kind enough to track all of this for me.

Take Better Photos (once a week)

I’m a person who enjoys the moments of life as they come and pass. But when I try to capture those moments on my phone, I feel distracted and disingenuous. And I think it shows in the few photos I do take. I’d like to develop a better relationship with photography, so I can capture all the important memories on the horizon.

To achieve this goal, I’m going to take the Dogwood52 Challenge. Dogwood has posted 52 weekly photography categories. I’ll be posting them here periodically to hold myself accountable. Be gentle.

Walk Oliver (once a day)

Oliver turned 6 this year. He’s got some mild arthritis in his hips. He’s also got a human sibling on the way. Once young Sullivan arrives, Ollie will have to take a back seat. So he needs something consistent that he loves, and I’m going to give it to him.