Goodbye 2017, you were truly the best

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Hello 2018.

New year, new resolutions? I have never been a fan of new year resolutions just because everyone knows the gym will be empty by January 2nd. However, the start of a new year is a great time to look back and forward to set realistic long-term goals instead of short-term resolutions that won't last. First off, I think it's a great idea to write down a list of things you have achieved throughout the year. Time flies and you often overlook the accumulation of everything you have done and what you have learned from your experiences. It also drives you to reach even further in various aspects of your life. If I had to share that list for 2017 on top of my head right now, it would be something like:

- went on a four-month exchange in Hong Kong (where these photos were taken!) and met some amazing people with whom I traveled to Taipei, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Singapore, Bali, Gili Islands, Kuala Lumpur, Macau and Seoul (RECAP VIDEO HERE)

- went back to China after living in Canada for more than 17 years, visited my hometown (Fuzhou) as well as Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen

- honoured to have met successful and inspiring people through blogging and worked with some brands I would never have imagined would reach out to me (thank you Fann from Hotel Jen by Shangri-La Resorts for letting me stay and making this post possible!)

- bought my first noob DSLR (Canon T6i) that I've been telling myself I needed to get for so long... lol someone teach me please

- landed my first internship and full time position at an accounting firm and met some amazing friends there

For all those reasons, 2017 was probably one of my best years so far and I'm incredibly grateful for it. Now onto looking forward and setting goals. I believe in goals that are clear and concise instead of something like make more money, exercise more, procrastinate less, meet more people etc. Ask yourself:

What, how, why?

Set yourself goals that you can slowly and progressively achieve. Many people focus too much on the end goal instead of the process to getting there and what you can learn from it. For example, if you want to go to the gym more often, what exactly do you want to achieve from it? Are you trying to lose x amount of weight or simply to not be dead tired going up the stairs to work? How will you achieve that considering your work/school schedule? Why will it benefit your lifestyle? Another example, if you have a dream job in mind, don't be disappointed if it doesn't come easy because it's not always realistic. Don't take for granted everything you can learn towards achieving it, let it be having to settle for a more low-key job at first or something not as related. I believe nothing you go through is a waste and you can definitely gain transferrable skills here and there if you put your mind to it. Absorb as much information as you can and then reach further. Find a realistic plan for your goals and adapt it along the way instead of diving head first into them.

On my part, here are a couple of things I look forward to in 2018 and hope to achieve:

- continue creating content for this blog and improve my editing/ photography. stay organic because engagement comes and goes but authenticity stays. you attract the kind of people that you are!

- maybe expand IG/ blog to other platforms. Youtube channel???

- keep improving my programming knowledge, spend more time coding on the side and learning after graduation

- get in CPA school, pass my CFE exam and decide if I want to pursue further education (probably won't be in 2018 hah)

- graduate (lol)

- travel to the places still on my bucket list (on top of my head and realistically): Chicago, LA, Thailand, Japan, Vancouver and probably go back to China/HK hopefully

- spend more time with my family while I'm still in Montreal

- be a more positive person in general

- buy more experiences (concerts!!) over material things

What are your goals?

Regardless of your plans, life is unexpected. Life is exciting. And just like that, 2018 will be full of surprises so buckle up and ride along.