10 Things to Do in 2021
By: Tiffany Tsui
Tags: Personal, Personal Growth, 2021

There’s officially 10 days left in this crazy, rollercoaster ride of a year. While bustling holiday parties and family gatherings might be sorely missed in this pandemic year, in the spirit of Holidays and my attempt to conquer new year jitters, here are 10 things that I want to accomplish in the year of 2021.

This one is mostly for me, but feel free to come along for the ride ;)

Put Family First

This year marks my first year since birth (!) where I did not see my parents or returned home due to obvious circumstances. Being in an entirely separate continent from my family and having my access to return home severely limited this year has taught me to not take any time with them for granted. In the past, I’m guilty of citing a 13 hour time difference and a busy work schedule as excuses for forgetting to call or make time for them, sometimes letting weeks go by without talking. This year, I want to talk to my parents at least once a week, no excuses.

2. Invest in Friendships (Old and New)

Being an introvert, I find myself very comfortable in satisfying all my social needs within my small circle of friends and frankly have gotten pretty lazy about making new ones, and the 2020 climate has certainly not helped my case. This year, should circumstances permit, I want to get to know someone who isn’t currently in my social circle by hanging out with them more than once, and make time to schedule something with friends at least once a month.

3. Run the NYC marathon

With the 2020 race deferring to this year, I am cautiously optimistic that this could still happen in the year 2021. No goal here other than to finish.

4. Write consistently

I find that writing consistently lends clarity to my thinking for both work and personal matters. This blog is a perfect embodiment of both categories. Either if it serves to document my thoughts for posterity or to serve up some helpful tips and advice that could benefit someone somewhere, I want to stay consistent with my writing and publish at least once a month on this blog.

5. Read 20 books

In a similar vein to the previous goal, I want to absorb as much content as possible through the medium of books. I know 20 books in a year doesn’t seem much compared to the average reader you may find on Goodreads, but admittedly in the past, I’ve fallen out of love with reading and would like to set realistic goals in my attempt to restore it. Subject and format (audio or text) does not matter here, as long as I finish 20 books.

6. Learn something new

Strangely enough it was in the year 2020 that I’ve acquired quite a few new skills to my arsenal. Compared to 2019 me, 2020 me now have the confidence to bike around New York City, return a serve on the tennis court and whip up a quick (and dare-I-say delicious) meal at a moment’s notice. I’ve personally found it to be extremely rewarding to witness my skills develop in something as tangible as riding a bike, of which progress can be measured in a simple boolean (Can she ride a bike around the city? Yes or No.) I would like to continue to do this in 2021, and it does not matter what I learn or how good I am, as long as I can tangibly measure my progress in this new skill. Some potential skills of interest to note here: Do a pull up, Drive a car, Learn Python.

7. Reduce my screen time

While viewing Social Dilemma has made me far more aware of my current bad habit of scrolling social media whenever I find myself with downtime, awareness alone unfortunately has not fully curbed my behavior. Setting time limits on certain apps has only prompted me to shamefully hit “ignore for today” on said restricted apps. Currently, I spend an average of 3 hours and 4 minutes daily on my phone, which amounts to almost 1 full day in a week. In 2021, I want to respect the boundaries I set for myself on social media apps and reduce screen time on my phone to 2 hours a day.

8. Take better care of myself

As I have now officially embarked upon my “late twenties”, I need to do a better job of taking care of my mind and body. From putting on sunscreen everyday to flossing and exercising consistently, the goal here is just to track these habits on a weekly basis and build in accountability for self care.

9. Travel somewhere new

With travel largely stymied this year, I am intent on continuing on my quest to have new experiences and try new things in 2021. Perhaps the simplest goal of the bunch.

10. Stop saying sorry so much

I have a bad habit of saying “I’m sorry” for things that don’t merit an apology in the first place. This may have stemmed from my aversion to conflict and what I was taught as a child to demonstrate politeness, but these well-meaning attempts to be deferential can become problematic, however, if it leads me to hold others’ opinions and reactions in an overly high regard. Goal here is to check myself and take a pause every time I find myself beginning to apologize to see if it actually warrants one, and track the number of unnecessary “Sorrys” I dole out on a weekly basis for accountability.

And that’s a wrap folks! Now time to sit back, relax and welcome the new year…..