.:: It's now or never. ::.

It's been a little more than a year since my last post (so much for the resolution last year of writing more right? ><).

A short recap of the previous year would be that it was extremely taxing and stressful, especially the start of the year, but it was also one where I learned a lot and started to grow. I've had new experiences, new responsibilities, new encounters, new highs and lows.

I'll be hitting quarter life this year and I figured that there's no better time for change than now, so here's a list of resolutions I put together over the weekend for 2017 (better late than never, as always.)

1. Clear out any regrets.

In the past few months or so, I've watched people come and go and there's really no bigger reminder of how fragile and short our lives are. So this year, I resolve to clear out regrets that I may have had (or even forgotten about) and to not make any decisions from this point on that will leave me with new regrets.

This year, I'll truly embrace the #yolo-ness that has never quite surfaced for me. I'll say what I want to say, do what I want to do and go where my heart takes me.

The one regret that's at the top of my head is having stopped learning piano at the age of twelve. My previous instructor was more centered around perfecting our play of exam pieces and at that point in time, I was really glad to not have to go through those long hours of practice for songs I don't have any attachment to. But as the years passed (and thanks to anime like Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso and Kin Iro No Corda), this tiny little voice inside of me has always questioned my decision to stop. So this year I resolve to find time for casual piano classes / to set aside time to improve my sight reading so I can play more songs that I like.

Also, I've always sort of regretted not really taking the chance to travel much in the whole two and half years I spent in Melbourne. So hopefully, during my upcoming international attachment in Hong Kong, I'll be able to better utilize my weekends.

2. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

This one is inspired by a book I chanced across with the same title by Susan Jeffers. There have been so many times in the past that I've felt afraid of not being up for something / being good enough, but recently I've begun to see that everyone goes through that, even those who you'd think were so overwhelmingly talented and superior that nothing would faze them. Deep down, everyone has their own demons to face, all it takes is a first step to begin defeating them.

This year, I resolve to break through walls and perceptions of myself. This year, I'll be bold, this year, I'll be daring, this year I'll be prepared to do what the past me would have found unthinkable.

Bring on them exams, bring on them red shoes.

3. Remember to take things slow.

Sometimes, the world is so fast-paced that you take for granted that the things that are worth it come slowly. Whether it's that new language you're learning or that new habit you're honing, nothing was built overnight, so expecting changes to immediately bear fruits will only lead to disappointment.

Sometimes speed isn't everything. Sometimes the ability to wait out the storm by carefully thinking through will grant you better returns. In dashing for the finish line, sometimes it's better to conserve some energy for that final sprint.

This year, I resolve to be patient with myself. I resolve to be patient and forgiving of the mistakes I may have made / make due to carelessness or poor judgement and to learn from them so that I'll never repeat the same mistakes again. I was blessed enough to be in an environment where I'm allowed to fail and though I would never let myself be comfortable about making a miss, I need to remember that it's okay to stumble sometimes too.

4. Explore new things and grow.

This year I resolve to be open to new and unfamiliar things. I resolve to try the roads not taken, to challenge my own norms and break out of my comfort zone. This year, I'll be different. This year, I'll find a new me.

Some of the things that I really want to do more of is to have more exercise (it's been on my to-do-list since forever) so last weekend I finally pushed myself to go for zumba class (hopefully I'll be keeping that up for the remainder of the year). I also want to find more time to read and write more, so here's a resolution to write a blog post at least once every quarter.


2017 came sweeping in with the winds of change and I'm more than ready to glide on those winds. Here's to a fulfilling year ahead that I can look back and think fondly of. Blessed it be.