The start of another New Year… meaning it’s time to make New Year’s Resolutions again! I know it’s an overdone topic, but hey, I’m desperate for any blog topic right now.
The more logical part of me likes to pretend that New Year’s resolutions are just a bunch of nonsense. After all, shouldn’t self-development be a year-round activity anyway, instead of something you whip up out of a sense of unfounded optimism at the start of each year? But the truth is: I love making resolutions. Maybe I’m just weird, but to me there’s something magical and therapeutic about opening my notebook to a brand-new page and start writing down things to must /want to do. I can’t really explain it. Maybe it’s just gives me the feeling that I’m working on my self-development, without well… actually working on it.
What makes the whole resolution theme even more absurd is that my resolutions don’t really change from year to year. The specific details may differ, but in essence it always boils down to the following list:
- Write more (and to finally finish a story for god’s sake!)
- Read more (I’ve been on a decline for 3 years running… for shame!)
- Blog more (that’s why I’m writing this)
- Work smarter (and definitely not harder!)
- Work out more (might be the easiest one, since it doesn’t involve a lot of thinking)
- Be more open and caring towards my friends and family (hey, it is possible, right?)
(The only difference this year is that I left out the whole ‘love’ thing. I have to say I feel much better about myself as a result.)
And those are just the primary ones. Each year I come up with a bunch of secondary ones, because obviously I will have plenty of time left after I achieved my primary objectives:
- Improve my Chinese
- Learn another language
- Learn to play a music instrument
- Volunteer work
- etc
I know what you are thinking right now. You’re crazy! There’s no way a normal person can achieve all these things in a single year! And the realist in me knows this. But he also knows that he has to co-exist with the dreamer in me, instead of battling against him. The dreamer in me derives much optimism and energy from absurdities such as this, and it is up to the realist to make sure that I actually sit down and work on them at some point… and also not to feel too discouraged if not everything works out perfectly.
Anyway, only time will tell what 2013 will bring. At this stage I’m still very much resolved to keep my resolutions. Let’s hope this feeling stays with me for a little while longer.
The Musings of a Dreamer 
Hi there ! happpy new year 🙂
Happy New Year! I would hardly say that having high aspirations for the year is crazy. While they may not all come to pass, starting down the right path is a great start. : )
Oh, a tip for improving the working out and reading resolutions: you can do both at the same time. If you’re an audiobook lover, all you need is an MP3 player and some headphones/earbuds. Or, if you want a physical book (like I like best), spend some time on a treadmill, elliptical, or bike (at a gym, that is, not while you’re actually on a road) and read there. Reading while walking or using the elliptical can be hard at first, but I’ve found it’s improved my balance (which says quite a bit for me) and makes cardio much more enjoyable.
Best of luck on the resolutions! And hope to hear from you more often.