January 2, 2014January 2, 2014

Happy New Year :: { 2014 }

Its been a rollercoaster ride this 2013. Been some great moments and some really stressful times too. The only thing that never really changes is how fast it all goes by. Some say that if things are going great, times seems to fly by the fastest…don’t think that’s true though. Whether its bad times or good, its all over before you even know it. Our lives, no matter how small or insignificant in the scheme of all things, really do pass us by super-fast. Having said that there are most working mornings that couldn’t seem to go slower for me but irony is a funny funny bitch.

I myself, like most people, do get a bit caught up with the whole excitement of a new year, no matter how hard I try not to. So here is my list of ‘resolutions’ for 2014. I’ve made the most elaborate and inspiring lists in the past years only to fail by them and not get bothered. So I get it now, its not a very serious matter, which is why I have come up with a realistic and fun list this time around.

~ Spend more time in the sun.
As kids, I remember all I ever wanted to do was go play outside the house. Didn’t matter what we played, I just needed to be in the dirt, under the sun, running around and screaming at the top of my lungs. While the screaming bit might be stretching it too far now, I reckon just being in the sun will be enough to satiate my soul. Especially in the winters, a sunny day must be taken full advantage of. Besides the scientific and medical advantages, sitting in the sun is just plain simple fun. As kids we had dirt and friends, now we have beer and friends. Very little has changed.

~ Call up friends more often.
Every year that goes by, the number of friends that I can just call or meet for no reason at all keeps reducing. Some through my own fault and some due to unavoidable circumstances. While my acquaintances may have increased by leaps and bounds, friends that matter is slowly decreasing. And that really needs to stop. It may require an extra effort in the beginning to stay in touch, but its damn well gonna be worth it later on. I’m selfish that way.

~ Wake up half an hour earlier than usual.
This does fall in the ‘easy to fail at’ resolution category. But I will still try. Because I have noticed that the days I wake up earlier than usual and even if I do nothing with that time, I somehow feel a bit more sorted throughout the day. The extra 20 minutes of just thinking and assessing or even stretching give me a wider perspective on things. And I like that…a lot!

~ Read more.
Books. Its been a touchy subject for me ever since I got out of school. I barely read a book completely after. I love visual books, but novels have a way of getting to me. Even if I begin with something, the end of the story never sees the light of day for me. The only way to break this curse would be to set out a ‘reading time’ slot during the course of the day.

~ Go for a picnic in the park.
I loved doing that too as a kid. Don’t know why it stopped. This one also sort of compliments the spending time in the sun resolution. Packing sandwiches, cheese and some light alcohol and sitting in the grass under the sun just taking life in.

~ Save more money.
Another toughie. I recently started using this ‘Expense Manager’ app on my phone. And sometimes its horrifying to see the percentage of money spent on food and alcohol outside the house. This is excluding the expenses on groceries, etc. And eating home-cooked food is so much better for the health and the pocket. Probably stick to eating out only when there is no other way out of it. Have to go for a party outside, eat an early dinner at home and then go party. The alcohol will also do less damage on a well fed tummy.

~ Spend more time with the parents.
Each year they get older and each year I find myself wanting to spend as much time as I can with them as opposed to my teenage years when all I wanted to do was run in the opposite direction. I feel extremely lucky to still have them in my life and it gets really tough to think of what life might be without them, but instead of thinking about all that, its just better to go be with them whenever you can. There is no better feeling in this world than to lay your head down in your moms lap…better yet if its out in the sun ofcourse though!

~ More hugs for everyone.
Shake hands with people you’ve only just met, but for those that you already know, hugs is the way to go. Nobody ever got offended with a hug. I think.

~ Keep up with the workout.
I’m not a crazy fitness freak lady. I do my workouts when I feel like and I eat everything. But I do try to be regular with my workouts and eat healthy and homemade on a daily basis. I’m no professional athlete or model so I don’t need to starve and salivate at the mere thought of food. I like my food and it likes me just as well. I mix it up a bit with strength training on days I feel pumped or with yoga on days I feel I need to take it easy or with just some basic stretches on days I feel I need only a good stretch. So my resolution is only to keep doing what I’m already doing because I’m happy with the body and mind that I have. While I may not need to lose any weight, I definitely do not need a body that can’t perform. The reason why I workout and eat healthy is so that I’m able and happy in the years to come. Health is number 1.

~ See the physiotherapist once a month.
Its always a good idea to show yourself to an expert on a regular basis so that things that can be avoided like serious injuries or joint problems are kept in check. There are times you need to ease up and give a break to parts of the body because of some injuries you might have had or other reasons. Its always good to be aware.

~ Get a full body check-up once a year.
Like I said its always good to be aware and avoid situations that can be controlled.

~ Dream Bigger.
Only if you do that will you be able to work towards it, think of ideas and ways to achieve it and make space for it to actually happen in your life.

~ Reduce passive smoking.
I have never been a smoker. But it always bothers me when I read that passive smoking maybe worse than smoking in some cases. I’m not one of those people who makes a face when people around me light one up but I think its definitely time to be a little rigid about how far from my face they spew out the death mix.

~ Learn how to paint your nails neatly.
I suck big tie at this. But I am getting better for sure.

~ And if you can’t keep up with the resolutions, smile anyway and eat an ice-cream. It’ll make you happy.

Top: Koovs | Necklace: Zara | Denims: Levis | Blazer: Mango |