Resolutions...or not.

Mid-way through January. The statistics say that some people have already failed at keeping their 2013 resolutions.

What is it about a new year that calls for resolutions?
Why are New Year resolutions such a big deal, year after year? Is it because of the high failure rate?
Why don't resolutions taken randomly, any time during the year,  have the same impact as publicly stating at the start of a new year what you intend to do for that particular year? Why do people assume that most people would have a resolution for 2013?

I thought about it while watching TV the first few days of 2013.
The word 'resolution' means 'a firm decision to do or not to do something'.

Well then, I can make a firm decision right now, I do not need to wait till the next year to make one, do I ? 
In fact, most of my life-changing decisions came out of the blue, triggered by some petty thought or action, or motivated by seeing someone succeeding at something I would try my hand at.

My resolution to start running came to me sometime in May of 2010, triggered by a random email from York Alumni office. I signed up for a 5k, then I stuck to running throughout the year,  wavering at times, but coming back to it without having to wait for the start of another year.

I picked up crocheting around September last year just because a friend was available to teach me. The offer was always there, I just had to act on it and the resolution came to fruition as easily as going to Walmart and buying some yarn and a needle.

The resolution to join Toastmasters came up last October, sometime after running the half marathon and while looking for some other ways to improve myself.

Some time last November, I decided that I need to know more about world and local news, so I made the on-spot resolution to watch the 11pm news (almost) every day. To help myself with that one, I found the neat timer function on my TV which switches the TV on at 11pm every night for 1 hour, on the news channel of my choice.

I am not saying that crocheting or watching the news daily are life-changing, but resolutions, as easy as they come and go, and as hard as they may seem, just needs one little step to get you going and it does not have to be the start of a new year. I understand the whole 'the year is coming to an end, a brand new slate is given to you for the next year' and the motivation behind starting something new with the start of a new year, but I couldn't find a good one this year, so I did not stress about it. I am sure to pick up a few resolutions along the way.

Bring it on 2013!

As the door closes, a window opens...

As 2011 comes to an end, it is time to do a retrospective of the year, or at least of the main events.
My cousin sends out an annual 'newsletter' with pictures and comments, regarding how her family spent the year. I could do that too, however a single person's life does not have a lot of pictures, or rather, the pictures only have 1 subject, so it gets boring.

Nonetheless, when I look back on 2011 what will I remember?
It is the year my dad turned 60 and when I went back home to celebrate with him. 
We went to South Africa for a little less than 2 weeks and I sat on an ostrich.

It is the year I got promoted to band level 8 at work. 
That certainly does not say anything to you, unless you work for a bank and you know what band levels are. But that's not sufficient, you also need to know how many band levels there are and do they increase in number as you get promoted or do they decrease? I still do not know that one, because the previous bank I worked for has it the opposite way from the current bank I work for, so it's confusing. What can I do, I'm getting older, my memory is just not the same anymore. :)

It is the year I turned 30.
It's quite humbling to realize that time passes without you realizing it. I have just been invited to an 18-year-old's birthday party and I can still remember when he was a baby with chubby cheeks and I wanted to hold him and play with him in the sand. Now, what? What happens when you are old enough to remember 18 year old's when they were babies? Argh, you keep going of course, nothing you can do to stop time. You just hope it takes longer for them to turn 30!

It is the year I finally went to Vegas. 
This has been on my travel bucket list for a while and man, did it hold its end of the bargain. Glad I went with a group of friends that was fun and I had the opportunity to make a couple of new friends as well.

Those are the main events of 2011...oh wait, there is another one worth mentioning!

It is the year I decided to move downtown. 
So here's the window of 2012 opening. I want to say 'Oops, I'm moving again!'. This would be the third place where I'd be living by myself and it's as exciting as the first time I moved.
My resolutions for 2012 are mostly based on the fact that I will be moving to this new place, such as going to the gym every day, swimming at least twice a week, walking everywhere downtown, taking my bike during the summer, and the list goes on and on about how living downtown will make me lead a healthier lifestyle and how I'll make good use of the time saved through less commuting. Who's with me here? How many of you are actually betting against the odds? How many are betting that just as resolutions go, these are not going to hold in the long haul?
We shall see, 2012, we shall see.

I'm starting the year in good faith, hoping for many good things (and perfect babies for all my friends expecting) to come, many places to travel to, more time to spend with loved ones and renewed faith in humanity.
Don't disappoint 2012! We've been told it is the year the world comes to an end, but I don't believe in that BS.
2012 is going to be awesome...because I say so!

Goodbye 2006, hello 2007!

As 2006 is coming to a close, this is the time to reflect on the year just gone by and for some of us, to make new year's resolutions.

Looking back over the events in 2006, it seems that this year has seen its quota of natural disasters, political scandals, unfortunate killings and accidents and sporting events. Personally, the year has been way more peaceful than in the world, the highlights being getting a new job then changing companies, a trip to Birmingham, and making loads and loads of new friends.

With only a few days left in 2006 though, let's not linger over the past, and let's look forward to the new blank page ahead. I am sure that the question that will pop up sooner or later would be about my new year's resolution.

What's a new year resolution you say? Check out the answer on wikipedia:

A New Year's resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's Day and remain until the set goal has been achieved, although many resolutions go unachieved and are often broken fairly shortly after they are set.

According to a few surveys online, the most popular new year's resolutions are:
- Spend more time with family and friends.
- Get fit/ lose weight.
- Quit smoking.
- Enjoy life more.
- Quit drinking.
- Get out of debt/ save money.
- Learn something new.
- Help others/ volunteer.
- Get organized.
- Get a better job/education.
- Eat right.
- Reduce stress/take a trip in the year.

I, by experience, know that my new year's resolutions do not hold all the way because I tend to forget them after 1 week. Yes, we are all getting older, some of us a little bit wiser, some a little bit balder, some a little bit fatter. The bottom line remains that we don't need a new year to come by to realize that we need to take action, either it is to lose weight, eat right, quit smoking or decide to take a trip. However, some of us do like to have a set date to start something even though the goal might not be reached anytime soon.

Having said all that, I have decided that my 2007 resolution would be NOT to have a resolution.

What's your new year's resolution for 2007?

The countdown has started...only 3 days left.