My 2024 resolutions!
I cannot believe 20 days have passed in this new year already. 2024 has moved along with full speed, not sparing me much time to gather myself and give it a proper start.
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This weekend, I took some time to organize my goals for this year and wanted to write about them in this blog. This year, I kept the list short, because for 2024 I want to focus on quality over quantity. After a big life transition, it can feel like things are all over the place, so I think this year will very much be about re-centering myself again in many aspects.
Physical health
It took me a long time to get into a consistent workout routine. I had had it for about a year or two when a few years ago my ankle fracture forced me to stop working out for 12 weeks.
By the time I was allowed to work out again, I had lost so much strength and stamina that I could feel my motivation dropping each time I did a workout and could feel the difference. I was not only not working out but also not using my ankle for months. This meant I had to learn to use and rely on my ankle again, before I could even do workouts at the same level of intensity I did before. I remember feeling like there was no support around my ankle bone and as if air was in direct contact with my bone. It felt weird to be walking without the boot I had around my ankle for 12 weeks, not to mention work out with it.
Ever since then, I never really found the same motivation to work as I did before the injury. I did start to work out a few times, but the rhythm didn’t last more than a few weeks at a time.
Going through a move across the ocean obviously did not help with picking back up my workout habit. But now that I am relatively settled in, I really want to get back to feeling good physically again. I lost a habit I had worked really hard over a long time to build, which means it’s not going to be easy to get it back. So I want to take a step back to evaluate what the right forms of exercise are for me.
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Currently, I know that I like long walks and golf, and I definitely want to get back on working out with my adjustable weights. However, I am open, and this year I hope to explore different forms of exercise and decide what feels good for me. For now, my goal this year would be to take long walks and go to the driving range twice a month.
Mental health
I want to rediscover outlets for my stress. It could be going for a walk, going to a cafe with a book, or doing a kickboxing session. I also want to try journaling again. I might also start therapy. The main idea is to really listen to how I’m feeling and how my body is reacting so that I can not only decide the most suitable ways to maintain my mental health but also know what knocks me out of balance.
Read more
Last year I was running around so much amidst all the big and small changes. Usually by the time I sat down on my sofa with some down time, I did not have much energy left. In fact, this is why last year almost all, if not all, of the books I read were romantic fiction novels, the lightest genre for me to read…lol! This year I hope to resume to reading a wider mix, some stimulating ones and some healing ones. I am keeping my goal of 12 books and the hope for at least 2 to be in Japanese.
Settle more into my job
Transitioning into the current job has taken longer than expected. In the months I’ve been on the job, I have adapted and learned a plenty amount. I learned how to bring structure where it is lacking (often the case) but necessary, while taking advantage of the flexible structure to change things for the better. I have had to lead teammates without the authority of a manager, which was a valuable experience but also a revealing one that confirmed for me that managing is not my preferred path at the moment.
With all of that said, in my mind I often find myself feeling behind and disappointed, because I don’t sense the level of familiarity I expected to have after this much time. On top of that, there was another change at year end that placed me in a completely new area, moving me further back on the progress bar I have in my mind.
Image by Gaelle Marcel via Unsplash
Understanding a lot of it is only in my mind, this year I hope to not get too fixated on any preexisting expectations I had, but to focus on being in the present moment, getting my motivation back up, and putting my efforts forward with more thought and intention. Only that way could I feel that I am integrating myself into the role and that I am getting the most reward I can out of the job.
Start expense tracking again
I used to track net worth and expense every month. Both have stopped since my move. I have to get used to tracking with the new currency incorporated but I want to start with expense first since that’s what I need to keep an eye on the most right now. Because of the move, I’ve had more spending here and there, understandably, but I’m hoping this is stabilizing. Restarting expense tracking will help me check that, and if it’s not stabilizing yet find out the reason so I can take necessary actions to get back on track.
Increase my Japanese vocabulary
I want to find the useful ways for me to increase vocabulary which continues to be my weakest point and a key reason it’s been difficult to improve my listening and speaking much further. I am hoping to establish some habits around Japanese study since I’ve been quite casual about it for a few years now. Aside from exploring that, I also hope to start the Japanese learning platform that is sponsored by my employer, which might also have some courses that can help me with vocabulary.
Closing Thoughts
All in all, this year will be one for rediscovering my natural self and finding balance in my city. It will be key to understanding the potential of me staying in this town for a long time. I have a positive feeling about it, and I think this year, and the resolutions I set for it, will put me in an even better position to embrace everything around me and find a sense of belonging for myself where I am.
Besides the specific resolutions, I also want to carry a core idea with me in everything I do, and that is to focus on people and things that bring more quality to my life.
Image by Isaac Smith via Unsplash
Last year, I stretched myself a lot in order to absorb as much new information and meet as many new people as I could in starting off the new chapter of my life. I was casting a wider net, and I think at one point it all felt very overwhelming and even damaging to my mental health. So, this year it’s time to be more selective about where I put my energy towards so that I can recover to a healthy state and gradually build a balanced, high-quality lifestyle again.
