New Year, New Resolutions

by Cuc | Jan 1, 2021

The new year brings hope for greater things.

It’s been a few years since I’ve made new years resolutions. Ambition is great, but being reasonably ambitious is even better. My approach for 2021 is to keep my resolutions simple and achievable. Here are my top 8.

1. Read more books

I’m in the middle of several books right now and hope to finish them soon. But, I’ve found it challenging to sit down and completely immerse myself in a good read. Before college, I could easily finish a book within a few days. In the summer, I would walk two hours round trip to the library and lug home a heavy bag of books in each hand. I read while I ate and even read with a flashlight under the covers when I should have been sleeping. I’d love to rekindle my passion for reading.

Goal: 1 book a month

2. Write more for pleasure

Recently, I came across writing I did in high school and was pleasantly surprised by my creative writing abilities during that time. I always faced my writing assignments with enthusiasm and also enjoyed writing poems and short stories for fun. After college, I fell out of practice — only writing emails and other short-form content. This new blog is my first step to set this resolution in motion.

Goal: Create three blog posts a month between all my blogs; journal at least once a week

3. Hydrate and eat well

2020 was the healthiest I’ve ever been. It resulted from not dining out because of the pandemic and making better food choices due to my pregnancy. For the first time in many years, my cholesterol was within a normal range. I also worked hard to keep hydrated during and after my pregnancy. My goal is simple — keep up with the great work.

Goal: Drink at least 9 cups of water a day; track daily food and water intake

4. Exercise regularly

I listened to a Ted Talk recently that resonated with me: The Brain-changing Benefits of Exercise. Working out has always been a challenge for me, but I believe that pairing a healthy diet with regular exercise is essential for physical and mental health. My primary source of exercise has been walking my dog, and I would like to be more consistent with that routine. The treadmill will be my new best friend when it’s too cold outside. I also want to incorporate more intense workouts throughout the week.

Goal: 30 mins of intense workout three times a week

5. Craft more

I decided to teach myself how to sew about ten years ago after being inspired by all the handmade goods I saw at the farmers’ market and boutique shops in Fremont (Seattle). I became addicted to the hobby for a couple of years, accumulating shelves of fabric and bins of supplies as a result. I even started a crafting blog. Eventually, I shifted focus on other things and lost the momentum. I started sewing and crafting again last year, creating and designing toys for my baby. Every finished project was so rewarding.

Goal: Complete one DIY projects a month

6. Less screen time

I spend my workday in front of my laptop and multiple monitors. After work, I play catch-up on social media and communications on my phone. In my downtime, I enjoy watching TV — all while browsing on my phone. As a result, I don’t take too many breaks for a screen. I worry about my screen time because of frequent exposure to blue light and how it may affect my eyes and sleep. It also distracts me from my family. Limiting my phone usage is the easiest for me to control, so setting screen time limits will help me be more mindful.

Goal: Reduce screen usage by 20%

7. Sleep more

Hopefully, reducing screen time and blue light exposure will help with my sleep cycle. I also have a newborn, and his sleep schedule doesn’t agree with mine yet. I have always been a night owl and am used to operating with little sleep, but I know this is not healthy or sustainable (remember when I mentioned all the reading I used to do in the dark when I was younger?). The key will be to wind down for the evening at a more reasonable time.

Goal: Go to bed by midnight on the weekdays.

8. Focus more on family

I find it difficult to resist working late. I tend to hyper-focus on my work tasks, and I’m a workaholic. After work, I often jump right into a pet project and also spend a good part of my weekends doing the same. I need to be better at balancing work, hobbies and family. Work and hobbies are fulfilling, but family is the most important at the end of the day.

Goal: Spend quality, uninterrupted time with the family on the weekends and two evenings during the weekdays.