Making resolutions

I’m not a person who makes a list of New Year’s resolutions.  Still, the holiday break is a time for assessing what is going well and poorly, prioritizing the work, and seeking opportunities where things can be done better.

Last year, I had my ‘Big-5’ issues to tackle during January.  One got solved (gaining my UK ILR), a couple of disagreements did not (and so lingered on), and two business problems were wrestled to a draw.

This year has a better mix of positive tasks ahead.  I want to get my UK passport, bring my companies products through to CE mark submission, consolidate my residences, perhaps visit Hong Kong.  I’ll spend more time teaching and mentoring, and develop a long term ‘brand identity’.  Work / not-work life should continue to come into better balance and proportion, although it’s a long-term project.

I’m resolved to spend more time developing and deepening my relationship, my family ties, and new friends.  Surrounded by historic and cultural opportunities, we will take better advantage of being in Europe, i want to visit Prague once and Italy again.

My habits will become healthier this year, giving up a couple of vices to exercise more regularly, eat right, and take more walks.  If something takes less than two minutes to do, I’ll do it rather than write itt onto a list.  My w.wezen is building my cooking skills through new spices and classes; I’ll get William’s bicycle back onto the paths.

Each day, I’ll read books that challenge and touch (not just adventure novels), inspiring my writing to develop a more pleasing voice and an authentic insight.  Lectures, galleries, performances all beckon; the Tate Card and Sr. Rail Pass will be better used.

When the weather warms, I will sail again.

I’ll make time to deepen my technical and artistic ability in photography, a source of genuine pleasure and accomplishment this past year.  Perhaps I’ll find time to evolve my lamentable talent for pen-and-wash watercolour landscapes and charcoal life drawing as well (I’ve found a local class).

It’s very aspirational, I know, and has some daunting FOMO  elements.  But as I look back, 2015 contained some good personal evolution from similar yearnings.  I did take more time off (weekends and evenings apart from work), spend more time with my love and local friends.  Most mornings, I took a slow start to read the news and catch up with the house.  Many days, I bonded with the beach; and I reserved evenings for socializing, writing, and films.  I got my travel under better control, while visiting my parents more often.  Weekends held many concerts, exibitions, and festivals; vacations together were also a genuine separation from work and emails.  I was able to persevere through a significant personal loss and several near catastrophes midyear.  But through the challenges, I’ve been fortuate to have embraced wonderfully postive and supportive people, while at the same time separating from a clutch who were causing me much unhappiness. 

I thus have gratitude and optimism for achieving my ‘resolutions’ in the new year, for pulling it all together into a life lived fully and happily somewhere I will call ‘home’.  It would be lovely if, a year from now, I could say that I have achhieved much of what I wish, and have set a firm basis for a truly happy and secure ‘ten years to come’.