HAPPY NEW YEAR: 2019 GOALS

Hello hi,

Happy new year! It’s already the fourth day of 2019, wow! Time really does fly fast. I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and holiday season. I can’t believe how long it’s been since I posted a story on my blog. The last time was on my birthday April 24^th last year and since then, so much has happened. 2018 was an adventurous year for me: I moved to a new city, started a new job, cut my hair, became fully single again and so much more. Still those are not good excuses for not writing so I’ll try to do better this year. I know I said that last year and I remember when I used to post bi-weekly, so I can really do this. It’s not like I don’t have stories to write, whether fiction or facts, actually I wrote quite number last year but just did not post them on my blog L

                                                  Photo location: Chichen itza, Mexico

Anyway, as usual I like to review my previous year’s goals and make the new year’s goals; I usually write 10 goals per year. I can’t exactly find the sheet of paper where I wrote the last one because I packed it up somewhere when I was moving but I think I remember them. So in no particular order, here’s a self-review of 2018 goals:

1. To get HAPPILY married: LMAO! Now I don’t even know where to start from with this goal. Similar to goals 5-7 below, I’ve carried this goal over several years. In 2017, it was the last goal on my list and when I did not achieve it, I put it as the number 1 on my 2018 list, with the hope that I would be reminded to work on it more. Somehow, that did not work as every time I looked at my sheet of paper pinned on my work board, my eyes somehow went straight to the second goal. Honestly, I was closer to touching to the iguanas I recently saw at the El Rey ruins than I was to achieving this goal. Last year, I barely went out on dates, not to talk of getting into a relationship or getting married. However, I recently heard someone say that you can’t plan love and I think they’re right. So maybe I can’t really blame myself. 😅

2. To get my full driver’s license: This was the earliest goal that I achieved last year and I am so proud of myself, because I honestly thought it would be the hardest for me. After some months of practice, I got my license in March. My road test was a weird one as I was not able to parallel–park properly, something I still struggle with but the instructor had faith in me and let me pass. And ever since then, I’ve been cruising in cars! Lol, okay that’s a lie. I think I’ve only driven about 10 times alone since I got the license and I have managed to scratch only 1 person’s car (luckily he let me go away freely). So I would say I’m a pretty good driver👅

3. To get a job: This was the next goal I achieved last year; getting a new position. I still feel like I’m settling into the job, location and people in general but I am excited to see what the future holds.

4. To weigh and maintain 58kg: Aha! This was a tricky goal as my weight kept fluctuating the whole of last year and finally, I hit the goal by December 20^th but lost it on Christmas day from too much eating, lol. So definitely, it’s a carry-over for this year.

5. Learning how to swim: Believe me I tried my best; took some group swimming lessons where I learned to be a bit more comfortable in water. I also tried to take a private swimming class but my instructor turned out to be weird, hee hee (I’ll share that in another blog post). So I put it on a short hold but I’ll definitely learn this year by God’s grace.

6. Learning how to bike: Another activity that I tried to do and I actually think I can bike now but I’m just not confident, so I definitely need more practice. I would have been where I wanted to be by now but someone stole my bike L so I have to get or at least rent a new one.

7. Improving my French language skills: To be fair, I think I have improved but just not at the pace I wanted to. I took some French lessons earlier last year which I did not like and I also did not practice very much. However, now I’m in a French speaking place so I am more motivated to learn.

8. Publish at least 10 journal articles: I did publish, perhaps 5, but this is one that I have to continuously work on so I’m charging up this year J.

9 & 10. Publish more frequently on my blog and finish writing my novel: These are 2 goals that I have to confess I did the least work on and I am not pleased with myself. Like I said, I’ll change this year. However, I did take a creative writing course for the first time last year which was exciting and I learnt new things that I would like to employ in my writing.

So yeah, those were my 2018 goals and despite not achieving some (or maybe most) of them, I achieved other unplanned things and had new experiences such as ballroom dancing (thanks to my friend, Benita for introducing me to it), trying out new sports, travelling to more countries, and forming new connections. Therefore, I’m still happy with where I am today and thankful to the Almighty. I was also able to work more on myself and I learnt how to calmly walk away from uncomfortable situations/people, a skill that takes more self-control than I imagined. It’s not like I’ve ever been a raging storm but I used to talk back at every situation and sometimes said things that I would not have wanted to say. I also learnt how to forgive, including forgiving myself, and letting go (including letting go of people when necessary); it’s funny because I had named 2018 a year of forgiveness.

For this year, I’m revising some goals and carrying over some that I need to, but with better aims and objectives than I had last year so that I can actually achieve them. I’m also going to work more on my listening skills as I tend to zone out a lot (most in boring meetings, lol); and also work on my patience level as it’s a virtue I can strive to attain. Don’t test me yet as I may not have achieved it or else you might not like what you get :P.

Here are my official 2019 goals:

1. To go out on dates at least twice a month 💑💑💑💑💑 : Well since I can’t plan love/marriage, I can definitely plan dates and that’s exactly what I intend to do this year. I’d love to explore different dating experiences. Perhaps, I should pick random countries from every continent (except Antarctica; in the case of Australia, I can try different cities) and date guys from there. It’ll be some sort of world tour and improve my relationship CV by adding inclusion and diversity :D. Imagine having a relationship CV that states: “…is well-diverse in the dating realm; loves to eat so there’ll be no left-overs; can drive well at least 9 out of 10 times; always rises by 6am regardless of location so no need to set an alarm; can do basic salsa and cha-cha moves, thereby providing more home entertainment; more patient than would have been if you had met me the year before; has good fleeing skills; can zone out of conversations without anyone knowing…” and much more! What dude wouldn’t love these?!😁

Er...please nobody should mention this to my mother as she will organise fasting and prayer for me by tomorrow morning to get rid of any evil, promiscuous spirit 😈, LOL. I only said I want to date more often, I didn’t say that I was going to “fall pregnant”, hee hee.👅

2. To enter into a short story writing competition: This is something I’ve always wanted to do and so I’ll give it a shot this year. Wish me good luck!

3. To acquire a new art skill: either playing the piano or painting, knitting or sewing: I’m going to look for classes or use YouTube.

Some carry-over goals:

4. Improving my French: I’m still using Duolingo app everyday and I’m going to register for a new class next week plus I intend to practice more in this new environment,

5. To weigh and maintain 58kg; 6. Learning how to swim & 7. Learning how to bike: I can do #5 once I get rid of all the food I ate during the festive period; I’ll register for #6 in spring time and I’ll find new bike friends in the spring/summer for #7.
8. Publish at least 10 journal articles: Same as last year's #8 but this time, I hope to achieve all J.

9. Start up a small money-making business venture: I’m still thinking but at least it’s a start J.

And the last but not the least:

10. Volunteering for a good cause: I used to volunteer a lot when I lived in England mostly to promote good mental health awareness but I’ve not done so in a long time. This year, I’d like to get back to volunteering a bit of my time for an organisation that helps women and/or children. It could be in the church, community or wherever so if you have any ideas, please let me know.

I pray to achieve these goals and hopefully I’ll update you by this time next year. I also pray you achieve yours and I wish you a wonderful 2019.

As my dad would always say “Last year was good, may the New Year be much better” Amen.

Lest I forget, happy belated birthday to my younger sis, Odi and my eldest bro Iheanyi, God bless you.xx

Cheers and see you next time on my blog. x

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