My almost perfect New Year’s Resolution

Meet a few datelines this week but a few more to go in the next few days before closing the company for Christmas. Since workload seems to be never ending, I decided to head home straight after work, no more late nights for one day. It felt really good arriving home before the sun sets. The whole place looked bright and welcoming. A little warm but I can bear with the current heat.

First thought that came into my mind, what do I do now, I am free, I forgot what I did the last time I came home early. I look around and decided to clean the place and get everything sorted. I cook a simple meal, my flatmate came home and we sat down to a home cook dinner. Quality time spend.

Just the other night I came home, surprised to find she left me a note on my pillow, the kind thought actually cheered me up. A few close friends had been supportive and encouraging this year. I even received a Christmas gift sent all the way from the UK, how thoughtful. I haven’t opened it but I am sure it is a book, and like you said I know it will come in handy for my blog. Thank you very much, how ironic, I sent you a book too. Happy reading!

I really shouldn't put my life or my family on hold for work. I made a few phone calls, the night was still early, and I contemplated getting into bed or staying up to finish reading a book. If I sleep, I know I would wake up in the middle of the night and feel restless for the day. I ended up reflecting upon some of life’s important lessons and wrote a list of Top Ten New Year's Resolution. I didn't expect the list to reach 50 items before I feel asleep.

Personal & Professional

1. Time to upgrade to an inexpensive car.

2. Own the best house I can afford. 

3. Get my next pet (most likely a dog) from the animal shelter.

4. Don't say I don't have enough time I have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Theresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein.

5. Continue to buy great books even if I never read them. ... start a collection on my Kindle.

6. Treat myself to a massage on my birthday ... starting to become an annual tradition.

7. Give myself a year and read the bible cover to cover again.

8. Learn a new language. Choose between Japanese, Korean or Spanish.

9. Don't quit my job until I have lined up another great position.

10. Judge my success by the degree of how I am enjoying peace, health and love.

Charity & Activity

1. Choose a charity in my community and support it generously with my time and money.

2. Make it a habit to do nice things to people who'll never find out.

3. Watch sunrise at least once a year ... I still remember the last time I hike to do this was almost 10 years ago

4. Lie on my back and look at the stars ... took my sister to an island for comet gazing15 years ago. 

5. Every once in a while take the scenic route ... might be once in a life time experience if I never come back.

Social networking

1. Treat everyone I meet like I want to be treated.

2. Make new friends but cherish the old ones.

3. Seek out the good in people.

4. Never deprive someone of hope it might be all they have.

5. Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen every day.

6. Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.

7. Don't gossip, Don't nag, Don't gamble, Don't whine ... I wanted to include Don't drink but it would be difficult

8. Hear both sides before judging. Don't jump into conclusion.

9. Be tactful never alienate anyone on purpose.

10. Every person that I meet knows something I don't ... learn from them.

Physical health & fitness

1. Don't take good health for granted.

2. Get and stay in shape.

3. Accept pain and disappointment as part of life.

4. Don't be intimidated by doctors or nurses even when I am in the hospital ... remember it's still my body.

5. Laugh a lot, a good sense of humor cures almost all of life's ills.

Spiritual & mental well being

1. Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures.

2. Know when to keep silent and when to speak up.

3. Give myself an hour to cool off before responding to someone who has provoked me ... if it involved something really important then give myself overnight.

4. Never walk out on a quarrel.

5. Pray not for things but for wisdom and courage.

6. Be tough minded but tender hearted.

7. Don't waste time responding to critics.

8. Avoid negative people.

9. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person I know.

10. Don't forget a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated ... start giving more compliments.

11. Don't allow the phone to interrupt important moments it is there for my own convenience not the caller's.

12. Keep overhead low and expectation high.

13. Seek opportunity not security ... a boat in a harbor is safe but in time it's bottom will rot out.

14. Let people know what I stand for and what I won't stand for.

15. Never compromise my integrity.

Emotional development 

1. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige but on relationships with people I love and respect

2. Remember that a successful marriage depends on two things (1) finding the right person and (2) being the right person.

3. Don't allow self-pity. The moment this emotions strikes, do something nice for someone less fortunate than me.

4. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone I love them.

5. When someone hug me let them be the first to let go.

According to Gretchen Rubin (author of best-seller "The Happiness Project"): "You hit a goal, you achieve a goal. You keep a resolution".

I am writing this down so every month I will continue to question the above by asking "Will this help me become my very best?" 

And at the end of 2012 I will count how many of the the above blessings I manage to accomplish.