My Five Most Sensible New Year Resolutions that Made 2018 Special

New Year is around the corner and naturally, its the perfect time to either guilt-trip or laud ourselves for the decisions made and promises kept throughout 2018.

To skip all the bitterness, avoid panic attacks of underachievement and frustrations about unmet goals, it's important to make resolutions that are not far-fetched.

Since 2018 was surprisingly a rewarding and pleasant year (wrt work and some aspects of my personal life), I concur that it was all because of sensible thinking and being less aspirational when making resolutions.

I precisely remember taking a mental note of the things I wished for myself when the previous year ended on a very bad note. My new bucket-list had all things that were all quite elementary and included areas where I sensed an 'urgency' for change.

An inner-voice succinctly outlined my goals for most of 2018 and set the context for the positive changes to help me cruise through the year.

Leaving aside all philosophical ideas surrounding my resolutions and the satisfaction of ticking them all (most of them), below are 5 sensible resolutions to make every year:

• Work towards Having Healthy and Happy Relationships: Most of us agree that having great relationships make us feel emotionally and socially secure. In an attempt to make great friends and find partners, it is possible to pick a few bad apples or be the bad apple. One suggestion--get over it (whatever it is)! Denial, negativity, fear, insecurity, control, suspicious and all the unpleasant things that need fixing should be on top of your list. Even if it means giving second changes, starting over, or ending things for good. 

          Healthy relationships that involve just a handful of buddies who can be trusted and offer emotional and moral support  is worth holding on to rather than chasing after a mirage.   

          It's important to be around mature and sensible people who influence us with their objectivity to make some right choices in life. Whereas, dealing with people who are negative, entitled and have a tendency to treat others with indifference can be emotionally draining, impacting many other facets of our life.  Therefore, it's smart to cut out the unwanted drama and pain, and focus on having handful of people who really matter. 

• Stop Counting Calories and Focus on Health: Last year's wasted gym membership, yoga sessions and diet resolutions which went down the drain should not be your reasons to not include health and fitness in the resolution list. Instead of counting calories and stressing over grams/kilos on the scale, focus on improving health by checking if your hormones and body nutrients fall within the normal range.

          Unchecked thyroid hormones, iron, calcium and other mineral deficiencies, blood sugar, sodium and cholesterol levels need your attention more than the bulge that's not allowing you to sport your favorite dress. Getting tests on time and fixing deficiencies or excesses are important to lower the risk of developing life-threatening conditions like heart-attack, diabetes and even mental illnesses. This should be followed by sticking to a strict diet plan recommended by the healthcare experts.

So peeps, for a while keep away from diet fads and do what is required for your body and health.

• Become Tech-savvier: Whether it is upgrading from Windows to Mac OS X  or getting better with MS office tools, it is sensible to invest some time and effort in developing any real tech skills. The world is changing continuously with technology and its all about the apps to perform at work and home.  If you want to be on top your game, better take it seriously! 

Assign some time exclusively to learn basic skills that are needed in survive and succeed at work or make your life easy. If you plan on saving time and being productive at work, its advised to know basics of popular enterprise tools and apps. Then focus on getting better by moving on to learning their advanced versions that may be specific to your job and profession.     

• Never Postpone Paying Bills: This was my weak area. Although, I am prompt in making payments, I have trouble remembering the most important thing--due dates. Setting reminders on your phone, PC and whiteboard on the refrigerator with a note that warned about impending fines and penalties did the trick. 

This should work especially if you plan to have a stress-free vacation anytime during the year, without worrying about unpaid rent, insurance premiums, household bills and EMIs.

• Do Not Procrastinate Personal Commitments: Once in a quarter, month or week, take some time off and note down all the pending personal commitments that needs to be attended. It could be getting that eye check-up and dentist appointment you have been postponing, renewing your car insurance or even giving away your old clothes to make some extra space in the cupboard. Commitment is commitment.

And for matters and unresolved issues that are not allowing you to sleep and leaving you exasperated, muster the courage to face it. Remind yourself that however uncomfortable and daunting it gets, it should be addressed. If you need help from family, friends, spouse or even seeking advice from a professional counselor, go for it!

In the process of addressing your issues that were unresolved, remember to be kind and less judgmental towards yourself.  

 The lessons and my experiences throughout 2018 made me believe that our true priorities are the issues which exist in 'plain-sight'. They are the ones that need fixing and are often ignored. Addressing these make us more intuitive and equipped to make and honor serious commitments in life.

So, that was my take on the resolutions to make this year. What are yours? Let me know with a comment.