Every time New Year’s Day approaches, I try to make resolutions that seem within my reach.
Once, I wrote down that I wanted to stop my added sugar intake for a month. The result? I ate a pint of my favorite ice cream flavor (Rocky Road—simply the best!) on January 1st. It was a fun story, one that I am still able to remember to this day.
My problem has always been setting unrealistic goals for myself. I love sweets- chocolate, ice cream, brownies, basically everything that has added sugar on it- so how was I expecting myself to completely cut it out of my life for a month?Â
This is only one example of the “resolutions” I created for myself at the beginning of every year. They were never goals that I wanted to approach someday by taking small steps throughout the way but, instead, going from one extreme to the other.
I am currently a senior at NC State University, and this year has been marked by so much personal growth, development, and challenges- which I was able to overcome! I have had the opportunity to experience new experiences and get exposed to situations that put me out of my comfort zone, and I am really glad I was able to do it. If I look back at the person I was when I first started college, back in 2021- shy and afraid of speaking my mind-, I would have never thought I would be able to overcome the challenges and be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
As I mentioned, I have experienced a lot of personal growth, which has allowed me to gain confidence in myself in both my personal and professional life. I am more mature, confident, independent, and content with the steps I have taken and am taking towards the future. With that being said (or written), here are some resolutions that I set up for myself:
- Be gentle and kind to myself
There have been times in my life in which I was very unkind to myself- always trying to be the best version of myself to others, but sacrificing my true needs and what I truly wanted to do. In 2025, I hopefully will be able to treat myself the same way I treat others, kindly and gently.
- “C’est la vie”
You know those times when you don’t feel like doing anything? Well, sometimes they do happen in my life, but I do not allow myself to “do nothing” because I am always concerned that I will miss out on something if I do it. Not too much of that, please!
- Dedicate more time to spend in the company of others
I tend to dedicate so much of my time to worrying about things that I have almost no time left to spend in the company of those who I love. Hopefully, another resolution will come true in the next year!
- Try to enjoy the present moment and let go of control
As I mentioned above, I worry too much about the future that it makes me not enjoy the present I am living in. That being said, in every activity that I do, in every conversation that I engage in, in every movie that I “sit down” to watch, there is always a part of me thinking of what my “next action”, my “next movie”, “my next conversation” would be. Please, Elisa, relax!
- Have fun!
I would say that this last resolution is the most important one because it is a combination of all the previous ones. I understand that is important to focus on my responsibilities, but among those “responsibilities”, having fun and taking care of myself properly is also one of them. That being said, I hope this year brings me the balance I have been looking for all my life!
2025, I think you will be the best year of my life….