Well guys, 2016 is FINALLY over and good freaking riddance!
I don’t normally like to write off an entire year as “bad” because it’s never exactly accurate. But wow was 2016 as bad as it has gotten in many years! Not just for me, but for many of my friends, families, the world, and hell, even celebrities! There have been constant bad news and to rise above it was more than difficult at times.
But if I write about all the bad things that occurred, one of two things will happen:
- You will eventually stop reading because it will be incredibly depressing.
- No good will come of it.
Actually, both of those things will happen.
So, let’s not go down that road. Instead, let me talk about two silver linings in an otherwise chaotic year:
- The launch of my travel company with my best friend, Spirited Navigators. If you’re not following us there, and love all things travel, then be sure to show us some love. =o)
- The birth of my niece (my cousin’s daughter) in my home. She really changed my perspective in a way I did not expect to experience.
Interestingly enough, both came as the silver lining to the same “worst moment” incident, fracturing my foot while getting into a moped accident in Bermuda and being stuck at home 24/7 for three straight months. Believe me, that is both out of the ordinary for my life and sheer torture by my personal measure.
But just like most things when looked in retrospect, I needed those three months at home to be able to help launch our dream in record time and to create an unconditional bond with my niece. I strongly believe everything happens for a reason, and even the worst of years continue to prove that statement correct. We don’t always understand it when it’s happening or many years after that for that matter, but the silver linings do come.
My New Year’s Resolution
In the recent years, I’ve stayed away from the traditional resolutions, you know the ones where you vow to do something and 3 weeks later forget you ever mentioned it. Instead, I’ve focused on more character building resolutions.
Have they worked?
I can’t say for sure but strides are always being made.
This year, I have a mix of both types of resolutions because I’m starting the year with some big changes (and challenges) coming my way. In order to prepare for them with the most optimistic outlook, I’ve decided on the following resolutions.
With respect to materialistic things: Replenish, Do NOT Add.
I was organizing my make up when I realized that I must have over 50 lipsticks and about 8 shades of red. Why? What exactly is the big earth shattering difference between my 8 shades of red lipsticks ? Who can even tell the difference?
That’s when I realized how wasteful I’ve been. So going forward, I will not add to my collection of anything (unless it’s an actual necessity), instead, I will replenish items when they are finished. For example, when my foundation runs out, I will go out and buy a new foundation, but if one of my 8 red lipsticks run out, I will not replenish that to keep the overall number in tact.
This hold trues for most things, even groceries! Sometimes I tend to over purchase on food products contemplating on the thousands of dishes I’m going to make…only to wind up making none before half the products either go bad or I forget about. So now, it’s going to be buy only what I need, when I need it.
With respect to change: Embrace it.
I have always been good at embracing change, it must have something to do with my constant moving as a child (and even as an adult). However, as with everything else in life, there is always room for improvement.
Some of the upcoming changes will be exhausting, both physically and emotionally but there is a HUGE light at the end of the tunnel and that’s what I need to keep my focus on.
Perspective. It’s everything.
With respect to body: Live Healthy.
Health is above all. It really really is. Except we don’t understand it’s importance until something happens to us or a loved one, usually something preventable.
I have been struggling to lead a healthy life (my love for food is unreasonable) for several years now and the concept of gym is just as foreign to me now as it was a decade ago. Not proud of it but giving up is never an option.
This past year was especially difficult as my progress was hindered by my foot injury and set me back a LOT.
Even though I am not cleared to be back in full swing of all things cardio, I can do the one exercise I do enjoy: swim! It’s the most effective full body exercise that is completely NO IMPACT! And that’s exactly what I need. With the new year upon us, I am starting my membership to the local community center where they have a full fledged lap pool.
I am actually excited about getting back into being physically active again!
With respect to relationships: Spend Time with Loved Ones.
I am relatively good at this, given that most of my loved ones are in different corners of the world and I make every effort to see them on a regular basis. But I want to get better at it. I want to spend more time with them, because live is short and family always comes first.
With respect to ME time: Do the PopSugar Reading Challenge.
I LOVE reading. It has been my favorite pastime since I was a little girl. Yet it is the one thing on my list that is constantly being pushed to the back burner. It’s as though I have time for everything else but not for this. So, I decided I needed something bigger than myself to steer me in the right direction.
Enter PopSugar’s 2017 Reading Challenge.
This was a godsend!
I started a Facebook Group for anyone else who would want to do the challenge as well and this way we can all keep each other company and encouraged! And you’re all invited! We don’t have to be Facebook friends in order for you to join the group, so it’s open for everyone! =o)
I’ve pledged to read 52 books this year! It’s a bit ambitious, I know, but I really want to push myself to do it. If I can actually manage it, I will be so proud of myself. None of my other goals on this post will even matter. Haha! Just Kidding.
With respect to growing: Travel. More.
To understand our world, we must travel more. It’s as simple as that.
I seek understanding of the world we live in.
I seek understanding of those we share the world with.
I seek understanding of my self.
And above all, I seek new adventures.
That’s it. Those are my resolutions for this year and I have every intention of keeping them. To help myself keep on track, I may do a quarterly check on my blog to share my progress. What do you think?
Happy New Year, Everyone! Here’s wishing all of you a year of good health, prosperity, positivity, love, happiness, will power and many adventurous journeys.
Cheers!
What I Think I Say 
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