Can you believe that the year is over and that we are greeting a new decade? I am deeply thankful to have lived to see 2020 and for all that I have been able to accomplish. Of course, there were some things that I wish I did differently and some moments that were unpleasant. For the most part though, it was a good year and decade for me. As for the negative experiences, I pray that I have learned from them. Just being alive and being able to turn a new leaf are tremendous blessings. I am looking forward to making the year and decade ahead wonderful, day by day, step by step. Despite the fact that New Year's Resolutions get a bad rap (for good reason), I do believe there is value in clarifying the things we wish to accomplish. As Erykah Badu once said "write it down on real paper with a real pencil and watch shit get real".
Here's a summary of my goals for the coming year.
* Be more health conscious
Having recently celebrated my thirty-eighth birthday, I feel like I'm not at my optimum health/fitness. For starters, I would like to reduce the amount of refined sugar I consume and eat more raw food. Added to this, I would like to resume some sort of consistent physical activity such as jogging, meditation and swimming.
*Be more environmentally friendly
I am proud of myself for doing a bit more this year to be gentle towards the planet. I recycled more, reduced the amount of single use plastic I used and shopped for less clothes. The little I did has encouraged me to do more. I would like to shift to solely buying clothes made from cottons, wools and silks instead of from synthetic materials. I also want to educate myself more about environmental issues and become involved in conservation. This could mean volunteering with or donating to good causes/organisations.
*Meditate regularly
I lapsed in my meditation practice this year and I saw the difference. Instead of beating myself up about it though, I'm recommitting to meditating for at least thirty minutes each day. I am going to use this as a segue into incorporating other spiritual tools.
* Travel to two new countries this year
This past year I scaled back on travelling in order to buy a house and take care of some other priorities. By saving each month, I hope to visit a couple new countries. Haiti, Japan and Thailand are on my list but I also would not mind exploring more of Mexico, Colombia, Peru or Senegal. Even if I just see one new place, I will be thankful.
*Build Ancestral Memory
This past year, Kaysia and I secured a space for the Ancestral Memory Boutique in Trinidad & Tobago. Things have been falling into place smoothly for the most part. I know that working on this dream will continue to be a major source of joy. We are beyond excited to begin the process of executing our vision for the space.
*Be more present in real life.
I allowed Instagram to consume too much of my time this year. Yes, there were some months when I took a break but generally, I wasted a lot of time watching and envying other people's highlight reels. This never leaves me feeling good. What does make me feel good is spending quality time with my loved ones and being present in my life. As such, a main focus for me this year will be shifting attention from Instagram to living fully. I know that I will feel so much happier as a result. Bring on lots of concerts, game nights at home and fulfilling days starting the Ancestral Memory business.
Here's to a holistically healthy, prosperous, love filled, adventurous and joyful 2020!
Photography: Joel John
Post a Comment