NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS FOR 2018

I just realised I didn't write resolutions for 2017. And that is fair enough because one does not need to write resolutions only for the turn of the year. I have plans for the new year and I thought I should pen my thoughts down to be clearer for my new goals, to visualise them and to crystalise them.

I also managed to find old resolutions posted on Fidgety Fingers Project. It would be interesting to refer to them and see how I can compare them to the new ones.

I found this earlier:

OF COURSE WE DO NOT NEED TO WAIT TILL THIS TIME OF THE YEAR TO WRITE OUR RESOLUTION BUT THIS IS TO REMIND OURSELVES WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING ALREADY AND TO CONTINUE DOING IT STRONG. 1. TO DOWNGRADE AND DOWNSIZE. WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY THINGS, WAY TOO MANY NONSENSE. WE HAVE TO DOWNGRADE MORE AND REMEMBER THAT WE ARE INSPIRED BY THE TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT. 2. TO CONTINUE COOKING AND LEARN NEW WAYS TO MAKE DELICIOUS AND QUICK MEALS. TO CONTINUE TO BRING OUR LUNCHES. 3. TO MAKE EVERYTHING WORTHWHILE. EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE EFFICIENT. WE ONLY LIVE ONCE, WHY WASTE TIME ON THINGS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WORTH IT. 4. TO BLOG AGAIN, AND MORE. WE HAVE NEGLECTED THIS PART OF OUR LIVES. 5. TO EXPAND OUR SOCIAL CIRCLE IN THE WAY THAT IT DOES NOT COMPROMISE NO.3. NOT EVERYONE DESERVE OUR TIME AND EFFORT. 6. TO NOT BUY THINGS THAT WE DO NOT NEED. THINGS ARE MATERIAL AND WE CANNOT BRING IT WITH US ANYWHERE. ALWAYS FOCUS ON BUYING EXPERIENCE. 7. EAT AND DRINK HEALTHIER. WE ARE ALREADY DOING WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO DO IT MORE. 8. TO UNPLUG OURSELVES FROM 'WORK', AND UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS LIFE BEYOND THAT AND THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. 9. LIVE LIFE AND DO WHAT WE DEEM FIT. PEOPLE MIGHT TALK NOW, BUT THEY ONLY CARE BECAUSE OF POLITICS. A FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, WHO CARES. 10. NEVER GIVE UP ON OURSELVES, BECAUSE, NO ONE ELSE WILL CARE MORE THAN WE DO.

#2016RESOLUTION

I don't think there is anything I would change. Everything is still work-in-progress. I guess the day I find myself writing them off my list would be the day I die. These are ways of life. My decluttering is working, although I had hoarded a bit of toiletries, perfumes, clothes and food ingredients from my travels. I need to finish them. Otherwise, my expenditure seems to have decreased and choices more focused. My investments have been more sound. My decision to quit my job to go on a hiatus has also made my lifestyle more streamline to my resolutions, there is a balance.

Anyway, here goes...

• To live more sustainably. I continue to refuse plastic bags when I can. I have stopped buying beauty products and I make my own. Not only I know what go into the concoctions, they are also environmentally friendly. 
• To cook sustainably. I cook most meals and bring lunchboxes to work, when I work. They save time and money and I know what goes into my consumption. However, cooking for oneself is troublesome somehow. I eat the same thing for days in a week. It is more often very boring. I have to learn to step back from the cooking ingredients too. Not like I am using 10 ingredients recipes, I improvise when I cook. However, there is still a way to incorporate sustainability and minimalism in this aspect.
• To understand minimalism. Ever since I started backpacking, I started to realise that I don't even use everything in my backpack. This is a good example of what my living space means. What do I really use? Of course I do not need to use some things everyday, but still it encourages some thought into what is taking space in my space. Oxygen is free, but I would rather more oxygen in my space than things.
• To consolidate. Time has never been more important to me than now. I am very conscious not to waste my time to the working machine. Bringing lunchboxes works. Focus works. Preparation in my mind during commute works. Organising errands and appointments back o back help to save time and money on commute. 
• To write more. I have neglected this blog and I need to start to write again. But I have realised that my interests have also changed and I need to focus and figure out what works for me now.
• To invest towards my retirement. No, I am not retired yet. This is a hiatus. It is time for me to breathe, to rejuvenate, to regain my fight, to focus on what is important. My expenditure has decreased due to my sustainable lifestyle. But I need to learn how to maximise my savings and the money I will be earning.
• To be more healthy and active. I don't like exercises, but I like to be active. I can walk for kilometres on end. So it is to find a balance in my daily activities that eliminates the exercise aspect. People go to gyms and they are inactive outside of it and would not even bother to walk a few blocks. I have my balance and I don't mind if people judge.

#2018RESOLUTIONS