fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Sandpaper & Velvet
Tags: Personal Essay, Depression

Photo by Sasha Freemind on Unsplash

It is hard to explain on a whim just what it is that keeps me from performing my essential daily tasks. For the sake of convenience, I tally it up to chronic procrastination derived from a deep lack of motivation. Of course, that can be taken a couple of different ways, and subsequently can elicit very different responses.

On one hand, it may seem that I have simply grown lazy and become content to accept failure; I have thrown in the towel, and I ought to be ashamed of myself. The other hand holds the truth with all things considered: I am fighting with myself constantly, and this fight is invisible, inaudible, and intangible, but exhausting. When a soldier returns to the barracks after a hard-fought battle, it would not be frowned upon if she were to collapse onto her bunk. But when I cannot keep my eyes open after spending the majority of my days pushing against gravity–a fight in which I have not recently been the victor–I am met with stinging criticism.

I say that I am trying my best, but the opposite is echoed back to me. I can feel the fatigue in my eyes and in my restless legs and feet. It is proof that I try. I try, but to what end? Admonition. Curses. The rekindling of my self-loathing. Dark fantasies and plans. (Yes, I am that fragile.) I am partially to blame, for I expected at least one of the two people who should know me best to express a more gentle kind of concern.

Both hands share one thing in common: the realization that I am not my typical self. The key difference? One offers me sandpaper while the other offers me velvet, and I have been so unlucky as to receive a twofold friction burn.
Why Not Enjoy The Ride?
Tags: Aging, Personal Essay, Joy, Acceptance, Life

Photo by LOGAN WEAVER on Unsplash

In the darkest of my days, I am bolstered by the thought that the world will go on without me. That my death will not cause some revocable tear in the time-space continuum for anyone but me. There will be grief — I have those I love who also love me, but their lives will go on.

Not that I am eager to go — not yet. Not at all. I firmly hope that my death will come when I am old enough to no longer be a fool. But today, still foolish and semi-young, I’m glad to know the trees will sway and the birds will flutter and flit in the wind long after I am no longer here to feel that wind against my crepe-y flesh. I feel reassured watching the sun rise each morning and set again each evening. I find contentment in the change of seasons rolling gently but purposefully into themselves year after year. It makes me feel part of something greater than myself.

Maybe the reassurance I feel is a reaction to the terrible mess our world is in right now, but I think it’s bigger than that. Admittedly, the pandemic has given me the time and the inclination to stop and consider what life is really all about. But I feel like maybe its the magic of aging that has me settling into the notion of my future non-existence. I’m beginning to see life through the long lens and that perspective has led me to this newfound acceptance.

I was listening to a podcast recently and the host mentioned a friend who wasn’t interested in ED medications because he was afraid he’d miss the nuances of this time in his life by trying to hold onto his youth. It was a compelling thought. In our culture, we glorify youth to the exclusion of any other sort of life. But as I add years to my life, I find aging has so much to offer — wisdom, perspective and a vast store of life-defining memories. Why hold on to what used to be?

While I certainly hope I am not anywhere near the end of my journey, still I feel grateful to have gotten this chance here and now in this world. And I’m glad to know the world will keep turning, dancing and playing its magical games long after I am gone. Like an amusement park ride that runs over and over, day after day, for the thrill of those who dare. We might each of us show up very briefly, but still the ride runs, expecting nothing, offering everything.

That, to me, feels like the very nature of life — we came for the ride. Aren’t we just so lucky?
Descending, Again, into the Dark Hole of Lockdowns and Restrictions
By: Kathryn Perry
Tags: Personal Essay, Reflections, On Being Human, Covid 19, Coronavirus

Descending, Again, into the Dark Hole of Lockdowns and Restrictions

A few days before the Illinois Governor announced the lockdown in late-March 2020, I frequented my favorite coffee shop in all of Illinois — Sparrow Coffee. Yes, another story about coffee. Like Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls says, “everything in my life has something to do with coffee.”

With one of the best roasts in the Midwest, the entire shop smells of the most delicious coffee beans. It’s one of those smells that is soul-nourishing, and the ambience is warm and inviting. I ordered my usual — whole milk cappuccino, and as a special treat, I ordered a chocolate croissant as well. I sat down by the window to people watch the passersby.

Three patrons, an elderly woman, another woman, and a man, came in and sat down beside me. We were not mandated to wear masks at this point, so we saw each other’s naked faces with all our facial expressions and smiles. I love meeting new people and it’s not unusual for me to begin an introduction and start a conversation.

This time, it was the older woman who initiated the interaction. I love the older generations for this reason. They are so much more open about connecting with random strangers out in public.

“That looks so yummy! What did you get?” inquired the woman sweetly.

“It’s a chocolate croissant! Sparrow orders them fresh from a local bakery in Chicago.”

“That’s so nice! I’m Carol, and this is my daughter, Kim, and her husband, Phil. What’s your name?”

We made our introductions and we began talking about all the places we had lived, why we were living in Illinois now, where we were going, our loves, our losses, our dreams. We talked about the pandemic and our fears and anxieties of what may happen; however, we were all optimistic, perhaps even more in denial, of what was happening.

None of us seemed suspect of what was forthcoming. We just enjoyed the Sunday afternoon, drinking our coffee and tea, enjoying the company of new friends in the local coffee shop, believing that all would go on as usual. It was a lovely and bittersweet encounter.
Sharp Little Shards: on trauma, therapy, and trying really hard not to hate myself anymore
By: Jodi Marie
Tags: Personal Essay, Trauma, Therapy, Memoir, Reflections

I’ve always been prone to colorful hyperbole and absurdist humor when I’m discussing something that makes me feel vulnerable.

Maybe it’s because Joel Stein in The Awesome Column era was my first journalistic idol; maybe it’s because I watched David Letterman too young. Or maybe it’s just because my life has been, objectively, a little fucked up, and excessively allegorizing to deflect attention from the topic at hand is an attempt to make my life seem kind of normal by comparison.

Regardless of the why, I found myself using the above phrasing during a discussion with my therapist about risk seeking behavior. And of course, I don’t really see myself that way. While I’ve admittedly struggled with levels of substance abuse and relationship instability in the past, it’s just a turn of phrase, just deflection, just a way to get the hearty laugh that absurdly makes me feel like I’m somehow Winning At Therapy™️. I don’t really believe after a year of work and medication that my measure of stability is so small. When I say things that blow my level of dysfunction way out of proportion, there’s a mostly unspoken understanding that I obscure kernels of truth in my seeming inability to take anything seriously.

But on the drive home, I found myself fixating on that moment in the conversation. Because I mean… I kind of do see myself that way if I really stop and think about it, although saying I don’t also feels true.

It’s Schrödinger’s self-concept if you will. I use exaggerations and archetypes to express some shred of truth about myself underneath layers of sarcasm, yes. But the thing about habitual self-obfuscation is that I can get lost in my own irony sometimes. Somewhere along the pipeline between my vulnerabilities and my ability to communicate them only after diluting them 100:1, I start soaking up my own additives, get lost in my own sauce, and start to get confused about just who the fuck I am without the bullshit. I simultaneously see myself as irredeemably broken, and mostly okay with a couple of screws loose.
7 Days After Christmas
By: Terry Stewart
Tags: Mindfulness, Self Improvement, New Years Resolutions, Life Lessons, Life

The magical day to fix my broken life

Photo by Geert Pieters on Unsplash

Day 01 Reset

All the necessary elements are there to make it right. I am unhappy. I have made it through my family Christmas. I have survived the Boxing Days sales, the calendar has reset to day one yet again and this year will be different.

Seriously, that is the recipe for status quo. These elements occur every year and every year you have the same result. It is not a reset, it is a marker on a yearlong loop.

What am I trying to fix? Unhappiness, low productivity, unfulfilling relationships, or health issues. So, I just need to declare that I will be happier, more productive, more caring, or healthier starting January 1st, and I will be fixed. So, simple, so naïve.

Hack My Way to Happiness

Shortcuts sounds great. We are all busy and time is limited. Maybe one of the many new year listicles will provide the hack fix my problems. So many lists. Short lists, long lists, and exceedingly long lists. Yes, quantity over quality. Strangely, many of these lists are a prime number long. I do enjoy listicles. They get my enjoyment from them. Some points I agree with, so I feel validated. Some points I do not agree with, so I feel validated again, but the author made a mistake or two. Momentary happiness is nice but not much more.

Planning and Structure to Build the Solution

The solution to this chaos is a plan. Researching the topic. Reading everything on a particular topic I can find. Setting up folders, spreadsheets and color coding. Really, it is mostly busy work. Time, effort and cost but no results or final product. Remember, your plan is likely to have some competition from a hangover, lack of sleep, friends, family and a freezing winter or blistering summer (if you are say, in Australia).

Wrapping It Up

My magical day is the December 27th. Christmas is over, Boxing Day, too. New Year’s Eve is nearly a week away. It is a nothing day. It is blank slate day. It sits in the eye of storm. This is the day that my journey begins.

I have chosen a single tool rather than a hack. The tool I will be carrying on my journey is focus. This means mono-tasking over multi-tasking. Being present in the moment no matter what I am doing.

December 27th may have a different meaning for you. Maybe it is your birthday, anniversary, or reminder of a painful event. Then choose another random day, own it, and give it meaning.

Happy December 27th. May you find what you are looking for, rather than what you are being told you are looking for.
Daily Burn, The Netflix For Workout Junkies
Tags: New Years Resolutions, Workout, Excercise, Daily Burn

After seeing a million commercials on Hulu about a workout website called Daily Burn. I decided to give it a go.

I mean, A 30-day free trial, In which I can cancel without making a phone call is the coolest thing ever.

They started by quizzing me on my workout habits. After filling out all the questions, they pick a workout program they think you will like, For me, they chose a workout program called Inferno.

I was excited. I wanted to do the Black Fire program, Because everyone knows Bob from the biggest loser, But I decided to give her a chance first.

Oh boy..

The first workout about killed me. Then I realized that the workout program they chose for me was considered “Advanced.” Which I think I’d be more in “intermediate.”

I like Daily Burn because you can change the workout program anytime. Or flat out pick the kind of thing that you want.

But Now that I started her program I don’t want to stop.

I want to take advantage of the free trial

Because I don’t want to pay a lot of money to work out, My plan was to do the free trial then cancel. So I wanted to take full advantage of the trial by doing as many workouts as I can and losing as much weight as possible.

I realize now that is easier said than done LOL.

I’ve been doing 1–2 a day, and they are rough. That’s probably all I’m going to do.

What I did before daily burn

There are a ton of free online workouts. I use Youtube, and it’s nice!

But the Daily burn is nice because it’s ALL workout stuff, It can be easy to get distracted when looking for other workouts online.

Plus their programs will help you sculpt your whole body. Where as other online stuff is random.

Conclusion

After this month of working out as much as possible, I think I’m going to subscribe to daily burn. But maybe alternate months. When It gets warmer, I like to workout outside.

I’m glad there is stuff like this now. You can have Hulu, Netflix, Daily Burn, Crunchy Roll and other subscriptions for people who like the very specific content!

It’s exciting; I love all this personalized stuff these days.

Have you tried Daily Burn?

What Kinds of things do you do , To get your daily exercise?

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20 New Years Resolutions for Bad Girls
By: Ms. Part Time Wino
Tags: Feminism, New Years Resolutions, Women, Humor, Sexuality

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
My New years resolution, and how you can support it
By: Kenshi Au
Tags: New Years Resolutions, Hello World, Social Media, Resolutions, New Years Eve

How you can help me?

Once that ball drops and signals that we are into the year of 2021, I’m going to be posting my first video on YouTube and TikTok under the name of Kenshi AU

(Ken-she A-U)

I have no goal or intention to blow up. I just want to have fun and grow as a person and to be able to look back on it when I’m older.
2021 New Years Resolutions
By: Alexandra Raipe
Tags: Writing, What I Learned, New Years Resolutions, 2021, Writers Block

I’ve been writing my debut novel for the past 8–9 years now. I’m at the stage of finding a literary agent, but that process is harder. My debut novel is going to be a young adult sci-fi horror. Each year I tell myself this is the year that I’ll publish. What keeps on stopping me?

Writing is rewriting and boy did I rewrite every single year. I’ve been hearing how before you submit it to a literary agent, you need to have it edited before you do, so I kept waiting and finding the right person to edit my novel. I’m glad I rewrote it, but when you do get hired by a publication, they pay the editor out of your paycheck.

All these years I’ve heard the rules of show don’t tell, probably the one I had the most trouble yet. I’ve learned to make it show don’t tell, you include the character, describe the location, describe the action, the conflict, and the character’s thoughts instead of telling what is happening. There are two to three scenes in each chapter. There’s always conflict in each scene, the stakes are higher as long as it progresses the story and creates character growth. It’s considered a novel when it’s 50,000 words and higher.

I changed genres, characters, and plots way too many times and now I’m at the point where I love my story as it is.

There were days when I didn’t want to put my pen to paper, and days where my writer’s block stopped me. There are times that I want to do something, my mind says yes but my body says no. I found that after I write 15 minutes, words start flowing through me. There are scenes within my novel where I wrote for 5 to 10 minutes straight without stopping and they’re some of my best work.

I have other new years resolutions too such as fixing my overbite, getting my own place, and getting further in my writing and filming career. So today, I mark that one of my writing resolutions is going to be writing for Medium at least once every week. For filming, I’m hoping to film three of my short films.

Thank you for reading and I hope you stay tune for more of my posts.
One American’s Year in 2020: Imagine if this was you.
By: Jeffrey Allen Kaufman Of The Smash And Grab Show
Tags: Emergency Response, Gofundme Announcements, American, New Years Resolutions, 2020

One American’s Year in 2020: Imagine if this was you.

Our year started okay, I was working as a geothermal and water well drill-hand for a busy company and bills were getting paid.

Things started looking up around 2019’s end but when 2020 finally played it’s cards, we found ourselves in a world of struggling and juggling.

Covid was bad enough.

Catching Covid and giving it to my entire family, pure insanity.

Then having my boss shrug his responsibility and refuse unemployment, claiming I didn’t catch it at work, even though I worked with someone who was exposed to it and didn’t tell anyone until after I fell sick.

Then I was 4 months behind in bills too. I started job hunting immediately after finding myself well enough.

Now here it gets even mlre crazy.

I landed a great job. Yay!! On the first day of orientation (Oct 26th), my wife totaled our only car. Thankfully, a great family friend and retired Airforce vet makes sure I am at work everyday, but we still don’t have a car.

Then on the 16th of November, my wonderful 44 year-old wife has a stroke and had to be airlifted to Tennessee.

Right now, we are doing everything humanly possible to get on our feet.

2020 has been a hell of a year and we struggled throughout the entire year but this is just one thing too much.

We are reaching out with a Gofundme and hopefully people might notice.

Please visit. Share. Donate and send us warm wishes and prayers.

We need it..

LINK FOR OUR GOFUNDME
​New Years Eve is Supernatural.
By: Shiloh Cyrus
Tags: New Years Resolutions, Spirituality, Manifestation, Supernatural, Spells

New years, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. A new year represents the rebirth of the natural world. Lets make it a good one.

As always, please forgive me for my struggle writing in English

Chronicled accounts clarify that the historical backdrop of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day is profoundly established in supernatural customs. The Concealed Energy of New Year’s Eve is off the outlines.

Spells feed of energy, the higher the energy levels the solid the spell. Also, as I said Energy of New Year’s Eve is off the graphs. Regardless of whether you head out to a wild and selective gathering, remain in and toast a calm New Year with your family, or fall some place in the middle of, your assisting with expanding the degrees of energy.

Ergokinesis is the ability to assimilate, shape and control various kinds of energy; including dynamic energy, brilliant energy, gravitational likely energy and electric energy.

This force is referred to by numerous names, for example, autokinesis, dynakinesis, dynamokinesis, and energy control; despite the fact that it is most regularly known as ergokinesis.

By engrossing, molding, and controlling energy, an individual can create certain outcomes on various non-vivified objects, other natural creatures or inside itself.

Consider that science says that all issue known to mankind is fundamentally energy. Along these lines, having the option to utilize Ergokinesis (signifying “energy control”), you can have the option to influence additionally the working of anything known to man.

The specialty of sorcery is regularly drilled alongside specific words and consecrated calculations. The normal words that are utilized in wizardry ceremonies are the words that produce ground-breaking sound tones when stood up boisterous. These sound tones have incredible vibrational examples, which are utilized to direct and control energy and tackle its capacity.

The most impressive thing Known to man is energy and vibration, and in the event that you figure out how to control and direct this energy, you will get perhaps the most influential individuals on Earth-a power of light.

New Year’s Eve Spells

have a super high success rate.

Problems can become engrained over time.

They become firmly fixed, like a bad habit you

can’t shake. As the days unfold, the problems

become bigger, not better.

​New years eve is your chance to change all that.

This night is supercharged with the energy of

good intentions. We can use that energy to

eliminate whatever problems.

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#thehappinessproject #themagicineveryday #thepursuitofhappiness #thereisalwayshope #thewitchery #thingswelove #thisishappiness #thursdaythoughts #tiktok #together #tompettyandtheheartbreakers
I guess technically it was the best 2020 ever
Tags: New Years Resolutions, Comics, Humor, 2020

I make cartoons and t-shirts at www.dieselsweeties.com & @rstevens. Send me coffee beans.
Did You Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions?
By: Bambzi Ellis
Tags: New Year, Mindfulness, New Years Resolutions, Goals, Happy New Year

Did You Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions?

Photo by Antonio DiCaterina on Unsplash

Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions?

I didn’t bother. My resolutions don’t last any longer than the season they are made in. I try putting my best foot forward and commit, truly. Unfortunately, setting a time span for a goal doesn’t work out for me.

I’m more of a ‘where I see myself five years from now’ type of girl.

I envy those of you that create resolutions and complete them in the 365 days you planned to achieve them. I admire how disciplined the concept is and I always feel like a failure because I find it difficult.

It’s always fun to look back and reflect on the resolutions I tried to complete. I’m never opposed to giving myself points for trying with an 'A' for effort. I mean, it’s not like I can’t try again.

Let’s look at Bambzi’s 2020 New Year resolutions.
Ringing out the Old, Ringing in the New Year!
Tags: BlackLivesMatter, New Years Resolutions, 2020, 2021, Covid 19

2020 has been a challenging year. With a devastating pandemic, rollercoaster politics, and the protests against continued, racialized violence, this year has taken a toll on all of us and particularly on those who have lost loved ones, who have been sick themselves, and who have been protesting and campaigning for their right to live with peace and justice. Whatever your experience has been this year, we are grateful that you are part of our community here at Dr. Logan Speaks. We are in solidarity with you this holiday season as we reflect on all we have experienced. Here are some thoughts and some resources to help you take stock of what 2020 has meant and look ahead to 2021.

What have you lost? What have you learned?

This is a time to mourn our losses, of missed events and activities and loved ones, or normal life, and especially of the many thousands who have passed away from COVID-19.

At the same time, it has been a year of learning, whether that is learning a new skill or hobby, learning not to take the ordinary things for granted, learning more about diversity, equity and inclusion, or learning more about ourselves.

What do you miss most? Who do you miss most?

Find ways to nurture those connections that might be strained right now due to stay at home orders and other restrictions. Most activities and experiences have been adapted to happen outside or virtually, and engaging in those — while very different from normal — can really boost your spirits.

What can you bring to 2021?

As we learned this year, we cannot predict what the next year will be. But we can take inventory of ourselves and the gifts and passions we have — those can help us shape our experience in the new year. What do you need to let go of? What do you need to work on? What are your hopes — whether teeny tiny or seemingly impossible? We hope for a brighter tomorrow and reflect on what we can do and focus on to make it possible.

As we get into the thick of the holidays, we encourage you to heed warnings from state and local governments, stay home as much as possible, and stay healthy while social distancing from folks not in your household. Please see the resources below to help you get through this time!

Resources:

4 Keys to Coping with Stress due to the Coronavirus

3 Stir-Crazy Tips — Tired of the color of your walls?

Best POC-Created Entertainment to Get You Through Quarantine

New York Times: How to Find a Meditation App for You

Why it Matters: Levels of Identity Formation
Lessons for 2021: Glass Half Full?
Tags: New Years Resolutions, Covid 19, Choices Matter, New Years Reflections

Photo by Nolan Simmons on Unsplash

One of the things about being a “grown-up” is that we have choices.

Choices to act, or not. Choices to speak up, or stay quiet. Which path to take, which career to pursue, who to befriend, shaken or stirred, dark chocolate or milk, well done or rare, swipe left or right, whether to be kind or cruel.

The older I get, the more I see the choices, and increasingly I recognize I’ve often made choices in the past without doing very much thinking about my alternatives. It’s probably natural: automatic decisions are efficient, time-saving, even comforting.

Yet this year has been a real lesson. There have been a lot of things that made me feel like my choices were very limited, and there has been more time to think and to notice, and to consider alternatives.

I didn’t have much choice when it came to public health orders to wear a mask, protect others. Those choices were made for me, and I found them easy to agree with, even reassuring: someone who knows more than me is helping us all make the right choices.

None the less, when it came to foregoing a European vacation, not seeing family and friends in person, doing way too much work over Zoom — those choices were also made for me, and sat less comfortably. Yet, they were also the right thing to do. So like (mostly) everyone else, I sucked it up, and hoped for better times ahead.

With increasing frustration, I also watched other people make choices that didn’t sit well: ignoring the safety of others in the pursuit of “rights”; issuing pardons to convicted criminal co-conspirators; ignoring the climate crisis. So often these choices involved putting personal gain above public interest, even in the case of those who have sworn oaths to serve. It’s enough to make a person depressed.

Still, I’ve made a choice. I’m choosing to notice the things that give me hope.

The front line workers who put their lives on the line every day for the benefit of the rest of us.

The brilliant scientists who worked tirelessly to create novel vaccines in record time.

The public servants like Anthony Fauci and Bonnie Henry who demonstrate their commitment to us every day, in spite of personal attacks and cheap criticism from armchair experts.

The small acts of kindness that seem to be everywhere: paying it forward at the drive through, record donations to the food bank, a thoughtful holiday gift from someone you weren’t expecting to hear from. We don’t see the smiles through our masks, but we can recognize the smiles in the eyes.

Against all odds, here’s to a better year in 2021. Let’s choose hope.
The Good Egg: Reflections & Learnings
By: The Good Egg
Tags: New Year, Self Improvement, New Years Resolutions, Happiness, Resolutions

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Happy Wednesday! Halfway through the week and looking forward to a great weekend. Today, we’re going to talk about Step Two of “The Ultimate Annual Review” by Steve Schlafman.

Step Two: Reflections and Learnings

Answer the questions below to learn more about yourself and to determine what you want to focus on in 2021.

Success and Growth

1. What am I most proud of personally and professionally?

2. What new skills and/or habits did I develop?

3. What were the biggest obstacles I overcame?

4. How am I different?

Falling Short

1. What goals didn’t I accomplish? What got in the way?

2. What do I wish I accomplished?

3. What habits or interests held me back?

People and Relationships

1. Which relationships have been the most fulfilling?

2. Which relationships have been the most draining?

3. When did I feel most connected or most alone in relationships?

Health and Wellness

1. What activities supported or degraded my health?

2. When was I at peace, satisfied, or content?

3. When did I feel the most alert and energetic?

4. When did I feel the most tired, or in discomfort or pain?

Lessons and Themes

1. What were my top lessons learned?

2. How do you describe this year in 3–5 keywords?

3. What am I most thankful for?

Enjoy learning more about yourself!

-The Good Egg 🐣
The 2021 Goal: Living My Best Life
Tags: New Years Resolutions, Mental Health, 2020

Consider this my New Year’s Resolution list, and with only one Sopranos reference!

This little guy has the right idea. [Twitter]

Is it too early to start writing about New Year’s Resolutions for 2021? Yes? Well, then.

I’ve always been torn on New Year’s Resolutions, and not simply because I am a cynical person. I think there is value in resolutions! I just forget about them a few days — or even a few hours — into the new year.

Tell me if this makes sense. For 2018, my New Year’s Resolution was embracing the future and not getting stuck in thinking about the past. I gave up on that a couple days later.

That spring, I wanted to change my eating habits because I felt like a disgusting, fat piece of shit at FAU football practices. So even if I didn’t become a twig and I’m still a big guy, I at least did make significant changes, like walking more and not always eating junk food.

But, I do like the idea of New Year’s Resolutions, and I’m getting older. So consider this blog post my attempt at actually following through with a resolution.
Stop Making Empty New Year’s Resolutions, Do This Instead
By: Devin Arrigo
Tags: New Year, Self Improvement, New Years Resolutions, Life Lessons, Personal Development

New Year’s resolutions have a way of creeping into your life whether you like it or not. As one year ends and another begins, there’s a bizarre sense that the new year will bring with it a better future. And all the things we want and desire.

This year especially, 2021 brings with it hope and promise of something better. Of a world without COVID, with no masks, and with millions of people around the world back to work.

Despite how tough 2020 was, New Year’s resolutions continue to be just empty promises people make to themselves.

New Year’s resolutions have a track record of promoting the wrong type of action. They encourage procrastination and expecting things to change rather than making them change.

As if starting fresh with a new year will somehow change your mindset. Somehow, that shiny new January 1 will finally give you the motivation you need to start pursuing your dreams.

Year after year, you tell yourself January 1st is the best time to start. Then when the day finally rolls around, you’re usually hungover and in bed, instead of taking action as you promised yourself.

Make This Year the Year

How many New Year’s are you going to wait until you start trying to lose weight?

Or start that blog you’ve always dreamed of?

Or ask that girl or boy out?

Or go finally ask your boss for a raise?

How many New Year’s are you going to wait until you finally start taking action towards your goals?

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that life is fragile. One minute it’s here, full of life and pleasure. And the next, it's violently ripped out of our hands.

Don’t wait for January 1st — thinking the conditions will be perfect. That somehow, it will just be easier to start then instead of now.

As Gary Vee once said, “Waiting miraculously until the calendar flips to make your life better is silly.”

The perfect conditions do not exist. It’s going to be difficult and uncomfortable whether you start now, on January 1st, or in 2027.

“People should make New Year's resolutions if they're actually watching this video on January 1st. If they’re watching it on December 23rd, they should make December 23rd resolutions.” — Gary Vaynerchuck

If you really want it, resolve to change your life today, not tomorrow, the next day, or when the calendar flips.

You only get one at-bat at life; why waste it by waiting for the calendar to flip? Start pursuing your dreams today.
A New Way to do Resolutions
Tags: Life, New Years Resolutions, Happiness, Living With Purpose, Goals

With January in less than two weeks, many of us are writing our New Years Resolutions. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on my goals for this year, and what I can do this next year that can actually enhance my life.

Here is the list from last year:

run a half marathon

cut out dairy

go on one date a month

volunteer once a month

lose 20 pounds

Now, none of these are inherently bad. In fact, most of these would greatly improve my quality of life. But I have the problem that so many of the rest of you have; I can’t stick to my goals. I stopped running when the pandemic hit, and regardless of being lactose intolerant, probably ate more cheese than I have in years. I somehow got into a relationship this past month, but the rest of the year didn’t hold up my expectations for dating, or volunteering. I weigh almost the same as I did when the year started.

My life has changed drastically in the past 12 months, but hasn’t followed the path I had set out for myself in the beginning. The more I think about it, thats the beauty I appreciate about life. Nothing is for certain, and it takes us where we need to go, not where we want to go.

In 2020 i’ve started my own buisness, worked too many jobs to count, cut off toxic people, gotten into interior design, learned to really love myself and life, appreciated my friends more than ever, and dreamed about the possibilites a lifetime can hold. None of this was in the plan, but that doesn’t mean it was a bad year.

So, with that in mind, I set out on the impossible journey of creating New Year’s Resolutions that could stick with me as I tried to navigate life, and would leave me feeling fullfilled regardless of where I was. I hope these enhance my life as I try to live it to the fullest, instead of holding me back until I reach them.

Without further ado, here is my 2021 Resolutions:

take five photos a day of random things that bring me happiness

hug at least one person every day

declutter my life, and only live with what I love and need

read one book a month

tell people I appreciate them more

listen to a new song every day

tell myself I am beautiful in the mirror every morning and night

write down a win every day

These aren’t perfect, and if you check in with me a year from now I probably won’t have completed them all. But I hope holding myself to this standard instead of an impossible one will bring me happiness and healing instead of hurt.
Having New Years Resolutions is Absolutely Worthless
By: Jessie Van Breugel
Tags: Motivation, New Years Resolutions, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Self

Having New Years Resolutions is Absolutely Worthless

Photo by Buzz Andersen on Unsplash

I hate New Year's resolutions.

So, there you have it — I’m not taking it back.

All this nonsense about starting January 1st. A new diet, looking for a new job or finally investing in your side business idea. Sure.

I was already against them, but especially this year around they mean shit to me. Yes, I’m currently going through a lot personally, so my worldview and personal perspective are pretty messed up right now. Yet, I find it something interesting to write about.

Why wait with changing your life for the better?
new year resolutions
By: Lizzie Klingsporn
Tags: New Years Resolutions

it’s that time of year again. the time where we create a comprehensive list of ways to better ourselves in the new year. so i’ll go first…

pray not only for myself but for others

and i’m not just saying that to sound like a good person lol… i feel like if/when i pray, it’s because i need help through something in my own life or because i’m thankful for something in my own life. key words: in my own life. while of course it’s great to reach out for personal help and express gratitude, i know i can take it one step further and begin praying more for other people in my life. we get so caught up in our own sh*t sometimes that we forget about the sh*t that other people, near and far, are going through.

actually drink water

i know every single year i say this (and i bet you do too ;) BUT it’s time i actually start doing it. water is good. point blank period. my approach to this is literally to just carry around a water bottle or tumblr or whatever and always have it filled. woohoo.

stop spending money when it’s unnecessary

i’m so guilty of spending money on starbucks or carry-out food when i have coffee and a refrigerator full of food at home. it’s ok to treat yourself every so often, but especially for me (hopefully) moving into college this spring, i need to tone it down a notch. i can’t be spending $5 or more on iced coffee every day. i need to save my bank account.

read books that seem interesting

a lot of readings for school become more of a burdensome task rather than an enjoyable experience. at the end of the day, i’m usually pretty burnt out and don’t feel like picking up a book to read. however, right now i’m in the middle of a book that i actually really really like: unfu*k yourself by gary john bishop. i also just picked up one of us is lying by karen m. mcmanus. dare i say reading can be FUN when you find something you’re actually interested in. i know it’s a lot easier said than done, but i hope to read more during my free time instead of binging youtube, netflix, or tik tok.

give more compliments

i get pretty shy and reserved in public when it comes to being around unfamiliar people. therefore, when i see someone in a cute outfit or with cool hair, i tend to stay quiet and keep it to myself. i have definitely become more vocal and expressive in other ways, but i want to keep pushing myself out of these boundaries. if someone has a pair of shoes i like, i want to tell them! if you think about it, that one compliment could make their entire day 10x better.

like any other year, i always want to continue being a kind person with a healthy lifestyle. in 2021, i hope to look at every single day as a new adventure. so here we go…

“falling down is an accident, staying down is a choice”
A Monument to Resiliency in 2020
Tags: New Year, New Years Resolutions, 2021, Resolutions, Resiliency

A Monument to Resiliency in 2020

In March 2020 Dallas was graced with an unexpected symbol of resiliency. At the time I submitted the below tip to the Dallas local news. Here at the end of 2020 it seems more relevant than ever.

The accidental Leaning Tower of Dallas narrative should become a symbol of Dallas. The tower represents resiliency. It represents a visual identity for the city. Dallas does not have a central icon that stands a part as a visual indicator of the city’s identity AND also fits in the frame of a standard iphone photo. The MHH (Margaret Hunt Hill) bridge is great, but it’s hard for visitors to snap a picture with. Cowboys stadium is great, but it’s 25 miles away and also too large. If we were to build a 100 foot monument or structure commemorating this accidental statue, we could commemorate all the values of Dallas, develop our identity and add value to Dallas as a viral tourist generation which is the currency of modern culture. The location is negotiable, but having the statue across from the Richard’s Group (or architecting the new structure in that space along the same aesthetic) could also serve as an interesting partnership to expound upon the viral nature of marketing and projections that the Richards Group is already doing today. Opportunities like this only come along so often in a city’s life. Some choose to own and take advantage of them in building a brand, the rest are nameless, forgettable or sometimes ,as is more often the case, reflection of the tragedies that have occurred. This is a unique opportunity to build a monument to positivity, a monument that unites us all without a moment of shared grief (except maybe the trauma the demolition company is experiencing with all this PR).

I’m not against memorials or statues to commemorate the lives of individuals, but we have enough of those. What we need is to start building monuments as symbols of positivity rather than remorse. What we need is forward-looking symbols.

If you found this helpful…
New beginnings
Tags: Newyear, Motivation, Inspiration, Newyearsresolution, Newbeginnings

“Life is a fragment, a moment between two eternities influenced by all that has proceeded and to influence all that follows. The only way to illuminate it is by extent of view ”— William Ellery Channing

A new year — A time to embrace the past with remembrance and trancend the future with dynamic energy.

Beginning a new year is not only a moment in time but an opportunity for a mind shift and a fresh start in life. This is a full time promise, opportunity and new resolutions. And you are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold.

Life travels upwards in spirals. In the same way we search the shadows of the past, so too can we better judge the tiny arc and dim curves of the future. As in every new time, we too have an opportunity to enjoy our own peak experiences. “ This time, like all other times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it”, Emerson’s inspiring words are as true today as they ever were. The future will be what we ourselves make it.

Time can be likened to a perfect circle. Complete. Just as there is neither a beginning nor an end to a circle, we leave one time phase and enter another.

Focus on the moment. New beginnings require intellect and creativity to infuse each new moment with dynamic meaning, purpose and direction. Living in the moment will awaken much more than the odd insight or flash of inspiration. Learn to approach each challenge you meet in the spirit of adventure.

The subconscious mind is a source of power and insiration. It is forever flowing with ideas which can be successfully integrated to enable us to be endlessly fascinated by new channels of thought and experience and turn every moment into a golden opportunity.

“Experience the joy in every moment and transform your life into an exhilarating adventure of self-discovery”.
New Year’s Resolutions to Make for Your Business
By: David Jeansonne
Tags: Business Tips, New Years Resolutions, Business Strategy, Business, Resolutions

It’s the end of the year, and now more than ever is the perfect time to take a look back at the past year for your business. Take notice of the areas that can use some improvement, and plan for developing more in the new year. Having a New Year’s resolution to achieve success can help dictate the future of a business. The following New Year’s resolutions can help set your business on the right path heading into 2021.

Operating a business can be overwhelming. There is so much to get done, but the fact of the matter is that not everything has to fall on you. Resolve to learn to delegate, and do more of just that! It’s easy to get caught up in the mindset that we must do everything ourselves for it to get done. We question ourselves as to why we are so tired and stressed out. Delegate tasks to others to help improve a better work-life balance.

While there may be a never-ending list of things to do, always take the time to promote your business. Promotions always slip the business owner’s mind because more pressing matters must be attended to. However, promoting a business is something that should be done consistently. Make this a goal for the new year! Promoting a business is the only way to attract new customers. When promotion is made a priority, the difference can be felt significantly in any given company.

Look around your local community, and you will find plenty of organizations that could use some support- this is especially true right now throughout this COVID-19 outbreak. This New Year, resolve to give back to an organization and support a cause that is meaningful to you. There are numerous ways to give back! Whether through a charitable donation, volunteering, or even serving on a committee that needs your support. Those who take the time to give get back in twofold. Businesses who willingly offer their time in their local communities develop a reputation that is so beneficial to their brand.
Dawn of a New Year.
By: Under The Greenwood Tree
Tags: New Year, New Years Resolutions, Reflections, Life Lessons, Life

The dawn of a new year arising: the pressing impulse to look ahead, to anticipate further afield.

Yet, we learn most from dusk. The dancing amber streaks denote lessons learnt, the looming cloud cover reflect the struggles we’ve overcome, and the glowing red sun going to sleep; hard work well-done.

We are drawn to move shiftily on to the next thing, following infinite white demarcations on paved routes; entangled in endless to do lists and events; what can’t we see when we drive ahead?

Looking back highlights the detours in the road and destinations reached; the road blocks as much as the stunning views.

What would we see if we looked in the rear-view mirror? We hardly look back, but when we do it’s to list our shortcomings. Sombre tango of what could have been; whining grief.

Looking back should be like contemplating the life of a flower.

The flourishing of a seed into a disarrayed arrangement of perfection. Petal wrapped around petal; the abrupt corners forming a delicate edge where one petal meets another. What if we could see how our past has shaped us for this moment? How each abrupt edge of life has formed the outline of an imperfect beauty. A bright and vivid statement that we are alive.

Looking back should be like the necessity to stop and smell the roses.

When we look back we should bear witness to the delicate edges of ourselves as we observe each intersection of our lives; as each petal meets the next. Moving forward into a new year, into a new moment, should not be done without admiration for the disarrayed perfect imperfection that is our lives.

Recently I finished a journal. This is not an unusual event as I journal most days, sometimes several times a day. This time, instead of instantly stacking it onto a shelf, along with all the other mummified thoughts of my past, and moving onto the next blank canvas, I read. I read the last four months of struggles and celebrations. I read the last four months of wishes, prayers, insights and musings.

Much of it was the same. Repetitive annoyances of daily life; nagging mutterings of past wounds, fearful screams and trembling courage.

Peering into the rear-view mirror allowed to see that a flower only grows in the direction of sun and water. While much of my journal was repetitive, it showed me that I had a clear direction; that my soul was stirring the ship despite the headwinds and salty wet turbulences of daily life. Just as the flower bends, twists and grows towards what nourishes it; I am slowly being shaped by my practices — rain or shine, the flower grows enriched by what surrounds it.

Where will you look; ahead or back?

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