The Year Of Being More

Scorn New Year's resolutions all you like, but I think they are a great idea. As long as the goals you set yourself are reasonable and attainable, the start of a new year seems as good a time as any to begin working towards them. It may be simply because so many others are also wiping the slate clean and making a concerted effort to achieve something for themselves at the same time, but whatever the reason, as long as it helps you to progress to where you want to be then I really wholeheartedly support them.

I have one big, main resolution for this year which I'll get to later (OH such suspense), but an ongoing resolution (ongoing since the age of about ten and probably indefinitely into the future as well) is to be able to do the splits. This was, perhaps, substantially more realistic when I first set out to tick this one off the list as a bendy and springy little sprite child, but considering that of all the years since then I have never actually properly tried to complete this one, I do still think it is possible. I think it began because a number of my friends were able to do the splits when we all did gymnastics, so naturally I decided that I wanted to too, and it seems that my brain didn't quite register the fact that I a) don't do gymnastics any more and b) have grown slightly older, so that one is being carried over to 2016. Maybe this will be the year of the split.

I'd also like to learn how to ice cupcakes with a piping bag. It looks easy; I'm very much convinced that it's probably not.

Something that I think more people ought to remember is to budget for yourself. Nope, not boring budgets (albeit useful). Nice budgets. I'm talking about budgeting both time and funds (FUNds (punds (what))) for yourself.

Make sure that you are able to treat yourself to something you enjoy each month - buy something for your room, go on a day trip somewhere, take yourself out for coffee and cake, get a massage, anything you want. Hire a dog for a day of fluffy woofy hot water bottle cuddles. (I might actually look into that, that is a stroke of genius.)

Often people, I think especially students, don't do this for the sake of saving money or because of 'not having enough time', but all it takes is a tiny bit of planning. Get your work done so that you have a free day, even half a day, and maybe buy one less drink on each night out so you can save your dolla, and you're all set. I'm definitely guilty of forgetting to do things for myself, generally because I want to save every spare penny for travelling, but it's really important to treat yourself just for the sake of your daily mental health. Obviously don't go overboard and completely forget about everything else in your life, but just remember about yourself every so often.

So what's my treat thing each month? Well, I have two. I'm going to keep my nails really nice (bet you're glad you know that, what a way to start the year eh), but more importantly I'm going to use disposable cameras more this year. I've been tempted by this for a while, but am only doing it now as I've finally realised quite how many Boots Advantage points I have racked up over the years (a lot... really a LOT a lot), so I may as well use them on something I'll be able to keep and enjoy. I'd like to use a minimum of six cameras this year, so one every two months, but ideally one a month if I find I can get through them quickly enough.

Which brings me to the final, and main resolution. This year, I want to live more intensely. I sometimes feel that I'm a slightly more muted version of myself at uni than I am at home/was at school, so this year I'd like to change that.

So. When you're happy, be really, truly happy and leap and bounce around the house, and if you're sad, that's okay too and it's also okay to let people know. It's okay as well (important, even) to get angry every once in a while instead of just being blasé and letting everything go. Being forgiving is great, but there is a line. Establish where that line is, and stick to it, even if it's difficult. When you laugh, really laugh. Adults don't laugh enough - be a child (even though I'm quite possibly the most easily amused person on the planet..). Chat to anyone and everyone. Join more clubs (but maybe not quite the eleven I joined in first term last year). Meet up with people more. Continue to put yourself out there and go for opportunities. Share stories. Run down the street and throw caution to the wind. Go to new places and let yourself get lost - it's the best way to explore. Work hard at the things you're passionate about. Do more, live more, just be more.

2016. The year of being more.



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