People throw resolutions around like they’re worth nothing, but I have an issue with that. Because, being able to grow in life, to accept failure, to learn from mistakes and move forward. To better yourself and help those around you. You have to be able to look back and forward, with the best intentions. Please do not diet because you worry about how others see you. Do it for yourself, it’s your health. Their opinion doesn’t matter, I mean, compared to say your heart stopping – which kinda does matter. I hope I made my point.
tl;dr At the beginning of each year I try to reflect on what I wanted to work on or towards to, and have that help me guide towards my goals in the new year. I think it all comes down to this todo item each time though: be more me.
A New Year’s resolution is a tradition, most common in the Western Hemisphere but also found in the Eastern Hemisphere, in which a person makes a promise to do an act of self-improvement or something slightly nice, such as opening doors for people beginning from New Year’s Day.Wikipedia
Let’s go and do just that, what are some of the things I set myself out to do or think about in the last couple of years (before moving on to 2016).
At the start of 2015 I noticed that 2014 was like a beta test of emotions, growth and I lost my grip. I was hoping 2015 would be a bit different. Yeah, it was, in some ways. But I am writing it down as a terrible emotional year, and I am so glad it’s behind me. I am sorry that I have bothered my friends with my troubles, but you were there for me, well .. the ones that didn’t push me away. Something I honestly appreciate. I’ve learned a lot, I had to make choices and steps forward. It’s 2016, let’s do better.
My priorities in 2015 were healthy, finances, my apartment and my friendships.
By the way … a few things that I have wanted to do in the last few years:
2012 recap: https://mrfloris.com/article/1874/recap/
2013 – https://mrfloris.com/article/1865/new-years-resolution-2013/
(and how it went: https://mrfloris.com/article/1951/update-on-nyr-2013/)
2014 – https://mrfloris.com/article/1963/new-years-resolutions-2014/
The 2014 recap & 2015 resolutions: https://mrfloris.com/article/2060/2014-recap-and-2015-nyr/
Anyway, 2015
I think I’ve been able to give 15% to 20% of my attention to health, I was hoping to start 2016 with the feeling of that being around 35% to 40%, so, I guess I made another okay start, but 2016 has to be the year of doubling up on health. That said, I bike almost daily, compared to 2014. And longer distances, so I am proud of that. The walking went okay, but I’d fail myself if it was a test. 2016 .. priorities for walking go way up.
Friendships have been stronger and weaker, I lost some friends, didn’t gain any, but I know who my real friends are now. This… really was a struggle. It kept me up at night. I never thought people could be this dishonest, disrespectful and selfish. But I have also received more love from friends than I thought I would. Not to mention a few second chances I probably didn’t deserve. Life lessons, right there. In regards to 2016, I am not going to let friendships get to me on that emotional level again for a while. I value those who I start the year with and around the summer time I hopefully feel okay enough to say hi to a few new faces. I feel I put in 75% in friendship, effort wise, and performance was around 45%, disappointing.
Finances I am doing better in, I had no idea what was what in 2014, and I am slowly getting more comfortable figuring things out and thinking it through. I’ve spent time in 2015 to downgrade what was at the time possible to save money. But it sure was the year of being in the red constantly. Fuck, I hate negative bank accounts. Fighting and balancing doing the right thing versus having fun in life and being social. While trying to stay afloat, I am terrible at making a budget and making the right choices. In 2016 I am hoping to spend time with some friends and family members to think through what better choices I can make. One project I started is that one where I save up for a new computer. I thought I’d slack and do this with 25% effort, it really feels it’s been around 50% effort.
And basically the last one: apartment. Yeah, I put that on hold. I got a new lamp and the carpet, but.. that’s about it. I did NOT do whatever I wanted. I had 100% motivation, 25% performance, but this should be a big 0%, I am NOT happy with my apartment. This is now a higher priority for 2016.
This settles it, 2016 is about my apartment and my health, both 100% effort, and hopefully both at 50% performance. And then finances and friendships get pushed away to my downtime.
Other years I had a list of things that I wanted to improve on, think about, learn, etc. And I am proud of what I achieved with those. But I need less stress in my life, so I am not putting a list down this year. In the back of my mind I know I wanted to be more aware of my surroundings, and spend time doing projects with my father, stuff like that. In 2015 I’ve done that as well, and it worked out okay. I hope those sort of resolutions will help me in the long run. It’s hard to explain, and my headache that I enduring right now is not really motivating me to find the right words.
My real resolution is to take 2016 serious, but slow, and make progress with the things I set out to do in the last few years. Instead of filling up my agenda with new thoughts and worries. I want to move forward – thinking positively. And! I do appreciate it that you stick around and read up what I share on this blog.