Being quite an obsessive sort of person, every year I meticulously think up my New Year’s Resolutions and set them carefully to paper. However, being on the other hand a very active member of club scatterbrain, nine times out of ten I lose said piece of paper, become hopelessly confused as to whether there was a piece of paper at all and what it looked like, and/or forget about the existence of New Year’s Resolutions altogether. So, in an attempt to actually keep them this year, or at least remember that I made them in the first place, I have decided to post them on here. It’s possibly the longest blog post I’ve written so far, so do battle on if you feel so inclined. Comments/advice appreciated.
1. Embrace the anti-climax. I think about this particular one every Christmas/birthday/anniversary/major event of note. I am so convinced that occasions of this sort must be completely earth-shatteringly wonderful from start to finish that I know even before my alarm clock goes off that the day is doomed to be an utter disaster. I then simply watch and wait as it becomes exactly that. Well no more! This Christmas Day managed to be my best for many years- well, since the days when I still believed in the man in the red suit, at least. I strongly believe that this is the result of my very conscious decision (admittedly at around 1am on Christmas morning whilst I was lying awake fretting about anti-climaxes) that this year I would not let Christmas fail me! This year I would expect absolutely nothing, not a single present, sprout or glass of bubbly, and would spend the entire day doing nothing but going with the flow, appreciating everything, and counting my blessings- however small. And to no one’s surprise more than my own- it worked. Thus, this year I have decided to file all of these little pointers to myself under the header of anti-climax appreciation, and endeavour to actually enjoy holidays/festivals and the like from now on. Instead of frittering them away worrying that I’m just not having as much fun as I should be.
2. Have fewer pre-conceptions, and in so doing become a better shopper. I like to think of myself as a pretty tolerant, accepting and non-judgemental person. And when it comes to people, I am. As soon as you throw a high street shop in my direction, however, I am liable to turn my nose up and refuse to go in for as miniscule a reason as I don’t like their choice of lighting fixtures (New Look), or because I spot someone the same age as my mother walking in beside me. This is the problem I have with Next. I frequently throw a small scale hissy fit if I’m forced to shop there, on the grounds that it would be theoretically possible to see women of ages ranging from 15 up to death wearing the same top as me, such is the wide range of clientele they cater to. It would be useful to point out at this stage that I am a terrible shopper. Really terrible. Money burns a hole in my pocket, I panic buy, buy stuff I feel I should buy but don’t actually like, hoard truly horrendous pieces out of guilt, buy things I don’t really need just because they’re a bit unusual- the list really is endless. I’m hoping that by having fewer pre-conceptions about not only shops but even the clothes themselves, I will become a better shopper. I might even save myself some money.
3. Be more spontaneous. After much consideration, I’m still a bit unsure about this one. Attempting spontaneity is notoriously tricky as the moment you become aware you’re being spontaneous, or are trying to be, by definition you no longer are. However as ‘go with the flow’ has already partly been included in my first resolution, I’m already covering my bases and thus in with half a shout of actually achieving this.
4. Learn more. Having only left university about 6 months ago, I have already begun to feel my mind slowing down a bit, questioning the world around me less and beginning to favour common sense over philosophical, whimsical musings. This must end! By reading more non-fiction articles about issues I haven’t previously known anything about, going to see more unusual films/exhibitions, watching more documentaries, as well as turning somewhat reluctantly back to the type of books I read as part of my degree, I’m hoping that this year I really can learn more. I’ve already read some reports on social media for work, and my Dad has leant me ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’, so I feel like I’m already half way there with this one.
And finally, the one I hold out the least amount of hope for-
5. Overthink less. This is the big one, really. The one I need to achieve most, and the one I’m least likely to. It is one of my most irritating and worrisome traits, both to myself and to others, that I over think pretty much everything. On occasion I can be really quite impulsive, with some slightly misinformed souls even commenting upon this. What they don’t see, however, is me sitting awake for half the night after the event worrying about the whys and wherefores of what I did/should have done. If nothing else than for the increase in free time I’d see if I could only stop worrying, this needs to be done.
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