My 2024 New Year Resolutions

I am back at creating my 2024 resolutions after a disastrous show for the last year. I achieved one, realized four partially, and completely failed at seven for my 2023 resolutions. This dismality is not stopping me from doubling down on this ritual for the year that just started. I have upped the game this time so much that I needed two sheets of paper to write the list down. I have little to lose after an 8% success rate. I will make this entertaining by noting my progress and sharing it here. This unscientific study of my New Year resolutions may help you and me learn a thing or two about the travails of achieving what we desire. The lessons may have little to do with the resolutions. My real objective is to find out what I can pick up by using the New Year’s resolutions as a tool to explore my daily life. A failure may teach me more than an achievement. Hence, the more, the better. These resolutions imply that things are wrong with my life and that I lack self-knowledge.

I have framed my resolutions to make positive, long-lasting behavioral changes. Some require me to make direct changes in my habits. The others, drawn up as point achievements, will force me to make positive habit changes. It is my second real objective for this year’s resolutions. Even if I end up with a 1% improvement in my quality of life, this will be a win even if I fail to achieve a single resolution by the year’s end.

I now present my 2024 New Year Resolution list with a (really) straight face.

1. I will not act out of habit in my daily actions. Instead, I will reduce or eliminate activities that prevent me from doing what I want.
2.  Every day, do 1-3 activities that matter to me. I will invest as much time as I can.
3.  Every day, analyze/solve 1 issue that is bothering me. I will invest as much time as I can.
4.  Speak at a normal speed and volume.
5.  Refrain from repeating myself.
6.  Interrupt people less, especially with advice on how to improve themselves.
7.  Try to disassociate myself from any mental image that arise from stress and emotion. I will affirm daily that my mental images will not define who I am.
8.  Write my Life Principles.
9.  Make a conscious effort to apply my Life Principles in daily life.
10.  Journal daily. At least once, either in the morning or in the evening.
11.  Reduce weight by 8%.
12.  Increase morning Heart Rate Variability (HRV) by 11%.
13.  Move more – Zone 2 for 90 minutes for 3 times a week.
14.  Move more – 10K+ steps daily except on Zone 2 days.
15.  Lift weight – increase lower body strength.
16.  Lift weight – increase upper body strength.
17.  Balance workout – 10+ min/day.
18.  Read daily.
19.  Read at least 3 classic literature books.
20.  Write daily.
21.  Streamline personal blog site. Publish content regularly.
22.  Complete Retirement Planning both from financial and non-financial perspectives.
23.  Learn Machine Learning.
24.  Build at least one Machine Learning application.
25.  Reduce physical clutter in and around the house.
26.  Practice pencil/charcoal sketching at least once a week.
27.  Produce at least three high-quality sketches.
28.  Practice watercolor at least once a week.
29.  Produce at least three high-quality watercolor drawings.

This list was the result of my introspection in the last few weeks. I have based the improvement numbers on what I can realistically achieve; these are neither too optimistic nor too pessimistic.

[#1, #2] I noticed that there are things I want but cannot do because something always comes up. My plan for the day looks like a joke in the evening. I realized I must force myself to do something that matters to me daily. It can only happen when I redirect time from doing senseless tasks that have become part of my daily habit to my favorite activities. I really must pivot now.

[#3] There are small, medium, and significant problems in everyone’s life. We have learned to live with these. It stresses our subconscious mind, which shows up in our thoughts and actions. I will get as many of these out of my way.

[#4, #5, #6] I am creating conflict and confusion by trying to be efficient and helpful. Instead, I should tune down my frequency to reduce stress in people around me.

[#7] I will refuse to give in to the images of fantasies and disasters to define myself. Fighting these images leads to more entanglement. Instead, I will try to stop my mind from thinking when I see these images. This blank state of mind can only disassociate me from these images.

[#8, #9] Ray Dalio, through his Principles, has influenced me quite a bit. Everyone should discover, write, and act on their life principles. I will be doing the same.

[#10] My previous attempts at journaling have made it clear that regular practice can lead to profound insights and improvements in my life.

[#11–#17] I have recently read the book Longevity…Simplified by Dr. Howard J. Luks. I will focus on improving my metabolic health, as he suggested.

[#18, #19] All my readings and interests for the last several years have been on non-fiction topics, for example, business, technology, and self-improvement. It is high time I include literature and fiction.

[#20, #21] David Ogilvy said, “The better you write, the higher you go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well.” writing is the foundation of professional and personal improvement. My blog site has been languishing for as long as I can remember. It’s time to shake it up.

[#22] I am alarmed to see the low level of retirement awareness in folks around me. I want to understand and plan for it now.

[#23, #24] I have been dabbling in Machine Learning for some time now. I want to get serious about learning and applying it.

[#25] Physical clutter is a silent cause of stress. I will improve my life through reduction.

[#26–#29] I have always wanted to draw and paint. While I used to draw well in middle school, for reasons unknown to me, I stopped practicing it altogether before I was in high school. Yes, people will think I am foolish and childish to start learning to draw and paint at my age. But thanks to working in the Information Technology industry, I have developed a thick skin. I found the practice is way more effective in learning drawing and painting than watching those YouTube lesson videos.