new year! new start!

happy 2015!
 
after having no new year resolutions for so many years, maybe it's time to set some for this new year.
maybe not so much as resolutions but more of reminders.
 
ok, here goes:
1. take ownership of my health 

• drink more water, cut down on sugared water except for milo kosong :P
• try to exercise at least twice a week - brisk walking counts
• cut down on chips to maximum twice a month
• continue with salad lunches for 2-3x/week
• cut down on carbs, sugar, acidic food

it will be nightmarish to keep track of the calories and everything the way I did when I tried to lose some kgs back in sept. just have to try incorporating the few important guidelines of above as much as I can into my mindset so it's natural for me to do so. more sustainable too.

2. learning to be kind

• starting with those people closes to me, try to be kinder. we tend to treat those closest to the heart harshly thinking they should understand us and able to tolerate such behavior from us better. what a wrong way to think. they deserve our kindness all the more simply because they are worth it. I need to start recognizing this fact.
• read somewhere that being kind is like a muscle. the more you exercise it, the stronger it will become. while im sure most of us are kind by nature but there are always room to improve. small acts like treating people in service with a smile and kind words are good ways for a start.

3. im at a age where routine may start to be good for me

with the boys growing up, attending schools and needing more time and attention from me, I need to structure my time in a way that is productive and fair to most including myself. having said so, im not saying farewell to being spontaneous but you can plan to be spontaneous too! LOL. planning ahead can give you  pockets of time to be spontaneous too.

I need to start thinking of feasible routine for the usual day-to-day so I can take care of myself and my loved ones well.

4. taking time-out to reflect

I started to realize how important it is have some time alone or with others to reflect on what has passed. only upon reflection do you reconcile within yourself on the lessons learnt or next course of actions. what you have internalize is something strong and no one can influence it so it's important to do so. reflection is an important step if you wish to grow wiser instead of just older. :P

5. you plan, you commit, you achieve

this shall be my advice to myself for 2015. be it at work or in personal life. for a start, work is going to be challenging for the new year not because of anything but because I want it to be. I want to stretch myself and achieve what I think im capable of at work. it will be a good year to grow myself professionally. :)
outside of work, it is definitely going to be challenging us having to wake up at 6am daily to ensure the boys get to their schools on time and dealing with the additional school work with them after our work. evenings are going to be as short as they can be so I need to have a think on how time can be maximized since i need to turn in by 11pm! I will commit to that timing as it only makes sense to do so if I want to stay healthy with enough sleep and ensuring that the next day is going to be an equally productive day and not one where I have to turn to caffeine to stay functional.
travel plans wise - it should continue. and more planning taking into account the kids' school holidays, hubbi and my peak periods at work, budget, leave balance etc. is necessary.

for a start, my Q1 travel plans are more or less firmed up! a super short weekend getaway with the colls nearby in mid jan followed by a short trip in the region with the in-laws and my mum in mar!
I need to start thinking of places to go and planning ahead for the Jun and Nov school holidays! :)

the above sounds good for a start! along the way, im sure I will slip back into old ways of being lazy and going with the flow but so long from time to time im reminded of the points above and work on them, im sure im not so far off from what I set out to do/be.

lastly, I hope health and happiness for my loved ones and myself. and believe me, we can do our part in ensuring health and happiness so stop only leaving them to hope but work on them too!