NEW YEAR & NEW RESOLUTIONS

I wrote this post on a new blog over at Wordpress. I'm not quite sure whether I want to stick with this one or start a new one over there. Ideally, I'd get a wordpress.org account and self-host, but I can't justify paying for it when I'm so indecisive about blogging platforms.

It’s officially 22 hours into 2012 where I live. Last night, my brother told me not to spend anything on the first day of the year or else I would continue to spend frivolously throughout the year. The day isn’t over but I guess it’s fair to say that I’ve accomplished that small feat. If that should give any indication to my ability to follow through on goals and resolutions, then I’m stoked for 2012. This year, I graduate from university, I visit the Philippines after four and a half years, I plan to move out west, and I hope to figure out what I really want to do for the rest of my life. The only thing that can turn this year of infinite potential into a complete bust is me.

To usher in the new year and get myself motivated about getting shit done, I thought of coming up with a list of resolutions that address all aspects of my life (original, right?).

School & Career

• Get involved in more extra-curricular and volunteer activities
  • Take pictures again for the school newspaper, get involved with the new NGO, seek other projects and organizations in campus
• Improve your GPA – kick ass this semester
• Graduate in Fall 2012
• Apply for grad school 2013-?
  • Build relationships with your profs so you can get those letters of recommendation
• Gain work experience – apply for a legit job that relates to your degree

Finances

• Save up for pocket money and travel money to use in the Philippines
• Pay off at least 50% of student debt by December 31, 2013
• Save up enough money for the big move

Life

• Summer vacation in the Philippines
• The big move
  • Move to the bigger city (Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, or Vancouver)
  • Save up enough money to cover the costs for 3 months
• Whatever happens and wherever we go, we are making this relationship work ♥
• Gain life skills – driver’s license, cooking, handiness, taxes, etc.
• Improve creative skills – photograph more; write more
• Exercise and eat better
  • Eat healthier, less processed stuff
  • Gain weight!
• Start a blog, stick to it, and update frequently
• Prove those Mayans wrong and make it out alive

It’s a rough list and it definitely needs to be developed more as the year progresses. Looking at it all laid out is so completely overwhelming that I just want to crawl under the covers and never leave. But I have to constantly remind myself to start working on the list and finishing them. If I keep doing, I avoid the likelihood that this list becomes nothing more than a meaningless blog post on New Year’s day. I probably need to set this post as the homepage on my browser, screen cap it and set it as my desktop wallpaper, and print it and tape it to my wall. It might be excessive, but it might just be the kick of motivation I need.