2016!!!

New Year’s Eve

Bear with me. I know it’s a little late but I wrote this yesterday.
What’s New Year’s Eve about? It’s about celebrating, being happy, anticipating the New Year, yada, yada, yada…Actually, it’s really about being grateful. This year was awesome, if only because it breezed by quickly for me. It had its hills and Valleys but I have so much to be grateful for.
This year, I began Med school for reals and I’m so grateful for the opportunity because if not for God carrying me on his shoulders, well…I rather not think about it (It’s that bad!). This year, I made friends with people which I didn’t think I could stand and I learnt not to judge people too harshly. This year, my family finally got a dog, a ferocious- but lovable- brown bull dog crossbreed called Murphy. This year, I started this blog which, if you know me (the Master Procrastinator), you’d know was a huge step out of my comfort zone. This year, I was touched by God so many times I can’t even count.
So, you see, I’ve got so many reasons to be grateful but even if I didn’t, even if none of this happened and I was actually a blind hermit living in one of those forbidden forest we watch on African magic, I would still be grateful, if only to be alive. Everyone should be grateful. Regardless of whatever bad junk happened to you, you have to put all that regret aside for now. There’ll be time enough for that. But for now, just stand up wherever you are and shout a big THANK YOU to whatever/whoever you believe in.

*takes deep breath* and… THANK YOU, LORD IN HEAVEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Now, the time for regrets…*cue sad music*
Okay, 2015 was a long time. 365 days. What did you do wrong? What did you screw up? What do you wish to do over? 
For me, the clumsy, awkward weirdo, there are so so so many moments that I want to do over, and so many things I wish I did better.
I really should’ve exercised more and really, I intended to but I got lazy… which brings me to the next one…
Laziness. I got so lazy this year that I let everything slack. My relationships, my health and fitness. My schoolwork and this especially is a real concern because I used to be really dedicated but I let myself down.
I’m sure they’re tons more but these are most glaring.
What about you? What do you wish you did more of? Visit family? Made more friends? Get that 6-pack you’ve always been dreaming about?
What do you wish you did less of? Eating all those chocolates (you know yourselves)? Watching all those movies when you really should’ve been studying (again, you know yourselves)?

It doesn’t matter how big or mundane it is. Think about them. Regret them. Be mad about them so that you can leave them behind because in a couple of minutes, it will be 2016. A New Year, A New beginning. A blank page. A Do-over.

New Year’s Day…
01-01-2016

Gosh, I’m so psyched that I got so excited over just typing the date.
*deep breaths*
Okay, I’m back to normal…well, as normal as I can get. So I’m not usually excited about New Year’s Day. Actually, I’m not usually excited period. I’m a very unexcitable person. Last year, if it weren’t for the fireworks, I probably wouldn’t have known it was a new year. I don’t do resolutions, countdowns, nothing. This year’s different. This year, I’m all in, resolutions and everything and I’m so excited. I decided that resolutions are a good idea because they’re goals for the year and naturally, I feel best when I’m working towards something, if not I feel adrift. And my favourite part is at the end when I have all the boxes in my check list ticked.
So I have a lot of resolutions (there’s just so much room for improvement in my life- no surprise there!) and not petty ones like I managed to make last year (e.g. quit biting my nails, which by the way, I haven’t). This year, I’ve made real resolutions. Some of them are personal but some, I can share.
1. Exercise more. I know what you’re thinking and though, I’m not what you would call slim, neither do I weigh a ton so get that image of Fat Amy out of your head. It’s mostly about keeping healthy and fit. I’m not a health nut but I have too many dreams to die before I’m 70 and especially of something as unexciting as obesity or High B.P. Do you have any bad habits endangering your health? Think about dropping them. Think about it, if you die young, you’ll never get to see the day Nigeria joins the First world countries (don’t roll your eyes; it will happen).

2. Eat less and eat healthy. So I’m what you might call a stress eater, except I’m worse. I eat when I’m stressed. I eat when I’m tired. I eat when I’m emotional. I eat when I’m bored. Basically, I eat a lot. Mostly small things like cheese balls, gum, sweets, chips and a lot of other junk. So now, I’m re-stocking my fridge and filling it with stuff like carrots, paw-paw, watermelons (Eck! God help me!). I’m also looking up recipes for tasty but healthy food (apparently, those exist).

3. Do more for school. I think this should go without saying. I’ve been lazy with my schoolwork and I need to get back on the track. Before, I was just strolling at the side-lines. Now, am doing warm-ups and stretches and preparing to get back into the race. I’ve got my final exams coming up in a few weeks and I have to pack nearly a year’s worth of knowledge in my tiny skull. It seems impossible, I know but I’m not cowed. I find that breaking humungous goals into smaller tasks makes it seem less daunting. Kind of like how it’s easier to move several pebbles a little at a time that a huge mountain all at once.

4. Carpe Diem. This is a Latin phrase I learnt from ‘Phineas and Ferb’. The English translation is ‘Sieze the day’. See, so many days last year, I spent in aimless wandering, doing nothing. Some days, I even stayed in bed throughout. Not anymore. I’m gonna occupy myself with school and anything else. Even during the holidays, there are a million and one skills out there. I could learn a new language (actually, I intend to). I could learn to play an instrument. I could visit somewhere new. And even on those days when I revert to instinctual nature and want to stay in bed with a novel, I’ll take my book to the beach or to the park. I could even just drag a chair out onto a balcony. At least I can see the sun.

5. Write more. Last year, my writing rate has slacked, not that it was ever anything spectacular, because I’ve been so busy. I wanted to remedy that by joining ‘A-story-a-day’ group. I would get a virtual sticker and put it up on the blog to inspire me. But, I don’t think I’ll have the time for a commitment like that. So, instead, I’m gonna do ‘A-story-as-frequently-as-I-can’. Hmm…I wonder if they make stickers for that.
So, these are some of my resolutions. I’ve got tots more but I don’t want to bore you with any more. I’ve tortured you enough. Yes, they’re a lot but I think that’s the point of a new year, a new page in your story.

For my analogy of life, go to about page.
So, back to the New Year. This means a new bunch of pages in the story of my life. And I’m gonna make sure it’s one helluva story.
What about you? Any cool resolutions? Share please. I think that’s sufficient payback after I bore you with all of mine. But if you really want to make me suffer, like my post and share with your friends.
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!!

Just a little advice for 2016

😊