a cup full of coffee and a heart full of dreams

I've thought a lot about what I'd like my 2015 to involve. the life I would like to create. and there's a phrase that emerged from my thoughts which may just become my daily morning mantra: a cup full of coffee and a heart full of dreams.

is there a difference between a goal and a dream? do semantics really matter here? the point is, I'm setting intentions. it seems the thing to do at this point in the year's inaugural blog post is to share a few of these goals/dreams/intentions. but I'm going to guess you've read [or simply marked as read] more than a handful of goal lists this past week.

more than the actual tasks to be checked off, I want to focus on the approach to 2015. I want to be daring and take risks. go places that I've never been, but also find excitement and contentment in the usual. I want to live each day with a sense of wonder, embody the spirit of exploration, and attempt things that I might just fail at.

with that in mind, this year's motto has evolved into a single word...

five years ago, this word crawled into my brain and refused to leave. I started thinking that you could live life as an adventure no matter where you were... though all the traveling and expat experiences these past few years have certainly made it easier. this word has meant a lot of different things to me. I'm constantly finding new ways to apply it to my life. moving abroad has been an adventure, writing my book has been an adventure. walking through an unexplored part of my neighborhood, shooting a self-portrait in Starbucks this morning, and even taking myself to the doctor last week... all adventures.

you would think by now I'd be sick of the word. but no, not yet. and maybe not ever.

2014 was a blur of trials and travels - no wonder my motto for the year was "challenge accepted." I think my most impressive accomplishment, however, was being ok with NOT completing all of my goals. this year I again have a list of things that I fully intend to achieve. but I think focusing on my attitude towards the year rather than individual goals will have me feeling more fulfilled come December.

[and if you're really that curious... a few things I have planned are creating and coding a blog redesign, completing a 52 weeks self-portrait project, finishing the editing/revising of my book manuscript, and a whole mess of travels.]

linking up with Nicole

a year in travels

I was able to travel A LOT this year. I've seen some fantastic places and made some wonderful memories. last year I posted a "recap" post with a list of ways I was awesome in 2013. this year was no less awesome, but I'm trying something different- reviewing the year through my travels. I spent time in 5 different countries in 2014, including my first ever trip south of the equator.

this post will also be full of my favorite photos + links to posts I've shared on these destinations, so if you're new around here it might give you a chance to explore.

we started off our 2014 travels with a 10-day trip to Bali, Indonesia. while I was terrified by the monkeys and somewhat disappointed by the crowds at Tanah Lot, I fell in love with the gorgeous orange stone temples. it was also a delicious experience: we had fun at a Balinese cooking class, tried Luwak coffee [harvested from mongoose poop!] and ate Mexican every day at Taco Casa.

in April, I celebrated my 29th birthday with a trip to Taroko Gorge - maybe my favorite place in Taiwan. my friend and I hiked through misty mountain trails, explored colorful temples, and soaked in a roof-top hot tub. I had been a little upset about turning 29, but the experience was so enjoyable I decided I didn't mind. [I also went back to Taroko in October... I really do love that place!]

then Husband and I took a long weekend in Tokyo to visit Disneyland. I can only begin to describe how completely and utterly magical it was. I laughed, I cried, and I felt like my heart was 25 years younger. it was also a lot of fun to take a "touristy" kind of vacation. I think there's value in all kinds of travel, and losing yourself in acting like a kid/geek/nerd at Disney is absolutely a worthwhile experience.

in June, I flew back to the states and spent a few weeks recovering from jet lag on the shores of Lake Michigan. I soaked in sunsets and climbed lighthouses, hiked through the state park and lounged by the pool.

the next few weeks were a blur of weddings, packing and unpacking, amazing tacos and protein/animal In-N-Out. we traveled from Detroit to Mackinac Island in northern Michigan, to San Diego, California to Austin, Texas and then back to Taiwan.

Hong Kong wasn't an intentional trip. I had to zip over for a quick 2-day "visa vacation." it was my first time traveling solo [not for business in the US, anyway] and my experience wasn't altogether pleasant. but I did my best to make the most of the situation by indulging in some Mexican food and shooting photos from Victoria Peak.

in case you're curious, I flew at least 30,000 miles this year. my passport was stamped 10 times, and I had 3 new visas added. I had a wonderful year of travels, and I'm looking forward to exploring more of this world in 2015. [starting with New Zealand in a few weeks!]

where did you travel this year - which destinations were your favorites? and where do you want to go in 2015?

linking up with Bonnie, Courtney, Cynthia, and Yalanda for Travel Tuesday