2019: Note to Self

Hello 2019! I used to pen down my new year’s resolutions in the past, but as time goes by, I slowly understand the reality that most of the resolutions wouldn’t last. Things around me have been changing in a tremendously fast pace, especially after graduating in 2015. Things I do everyday are also different so I really don’t see how to keep up with my ‘resolutions’.

…until recently I come across an article saying that based on a study, people who made resolutions were 10 times more likely to change their lives for the better after six months than people who aspired to do better but didn't make a formal New Year's resolutions. In fact, 20% of them did agree that making New Year's resolutions had improved their lives.

Well, mine isn’t exactly “resolution”. Since from my recap of 2018, I mentioned that I want to focus on C H A N G E this year, so here are some of the self-reminders or goals I have for the year:

1. Travel Alone

Never dampen the spirit of adventure! I have always been wanting to travel to a foreign place on my own, exploring a different culture and meeting new people. But to me, travelling alone is more than just that. It gives me a sense of freedom and 100% power of making decisions without having to listen to anyone but my own instinct. I believe that travelling often gives the most rewarding experiences in life, especially without any travel companions who may be burdensome at times. So… tell me where should I go next!

2. Improve Myself

To be honest, my schedule is already very packed each day but “having no time” is not an excuse of not improving myself. Because self-improvement is a lifetime commitment for our own self, not for anyone else. So what exactly are the improvements that we can look into? It can be gaining more work-related knowledge, exploring new qualifications, getting fitter or learning new languages. Well, it doesn’t have to be attending hours-long weekend courses or enrolling into a full-time study. All I need is just a couple of hours each day to do anything that will better myself. Yes, anything will do 🙂 10 years down the road, I’ll probably thank myself for the determination and consistent effort that will eventually pay off.

3. Be More Disciplined

I have never been a really disciplined person in my entire life lol. But recently a friend made me understand the importance of having a disciplined life. For example, when I told myself to hit the gym at least 4 times a week or sleep at least 6 hours a day, I tend to slack and give myself room to do otherwise. There are a lot of things in life that I realise, require much discipline and commitment. So, I must learn to have a more structured lifestyle and stick to it.

✓ Sleep early and wake up early

✓ Achieve a better body weight goal

✓ Reduce cheat meals / sweet stuff

4. Do Not Rush

Turnarounds don't happen overnight. I know time is precious but do not rush because the best things in life always require time and effort to happen. In this journey of chasing dreams, we often think about being the best in the shortest time. But actually what matters more is the learning process, and people we meet along the way. Always believe that there are many more unexpected surprises awaiting us in future 🙂

For instance, I have been making similar mistakes over the past few years – rushing into relationships and then waking up to realise that I may not have known the person well enough before committing. Soon I realise that there is no need to be constantly in search for our other half. All we need to do is to groom ourselves to be a better self (which relates to Point #2) and when we are ready, the right person will appear. And everything else would eventually fall in place. Just take things slowly… 

5. Invest Time into Relationships

Family, friends and the special ones. These are all the people that matter most in life. Everyone is busy leading his own life everyday, but nobody can be "too busy" to make time for people who really matter to them. Throughout 2018, I have been constantly reminding myself to spend more time with family, help them to the fullest extent possible and make them happy. Let’s keep up the momentum this year and focus on friends and special ones as well!

Do you recall that I said 2019 is all about change? They said you haven’t lived the year to the fullest till you do something that scares yourself. I am ready for more challenges and excitements in this brand new year! 

Note to self

Give yourself a pat on the back for doing awesome in 2018. 

Now, it's time to discover what you want in life and strive for a better 2019!

❤ ❤ ❤