new year, let’s do this

I admit when I was younger, I was all about setting new goals and resolutions with each ball drop. I vowed to eat healthier, exercise more, work productively, spend time with family and friends, and all the broad, generic statements everyone likes to make at the start of each year. Once I realized that wasn’t working out for me, I quit making resolutions at all. I just decided that I was going to be a better version of myself in the new year. I plan to keep that resolution with me not just this year, but every year.

I’m not saying it’s bad to have short-term goals (I’m a big fan of setting goals in general), but is it worth setting resolutions that will be forgotten by February? The pressure of trying to eat salads for lunch every day or making sure you’re on the treadmill for 30 minutes five out of seven days is just too much to handle, especially when you’re working full-time and particularly if you’re a parent. You feel guilty about missing a day of the gym or succumbing to that chocolate chip cookie after a horrible day of work, and then you just abandon your resolutions altogether. That makes you feel awful about failing your resolutions, and it’s ultimately a vicious, disappointing cycle. Remember, there is always room for improvement in your life and you can always be a better version of yourself from year to year. However, forcing yourself to keep certain empty promises and living up to the expectations of others will not make you a better, happier person.

Most of my blog thus far has been documenting travel. I really enjoy summarizing my travel into blog posts. As you have probably also noticed, I have been branching into videography and creating content to watch. I plan to continue all of that in 2019. In addition, I want to dive a little deeper into social and personal issues this year particularly with environmental challenges, workplace and education inequality, and growing up as an Asian American and dealing with Asian American parents. I want to be able to convey my thoughts and share my experiences with you all.

Please take some time in checking out my YouTube channel and subscribing if you’re interested. I would also greatly appreciate any feedback, positive or constructive, on my videos. I’m very new to creating visual content like this, and I am eager to learn as much as I can. The reason why I’m delving into this world is that I have always longed to dive into my creative and artistic side, and I thought this would be an interesting way to learn and expand my skills. I’m not trying to become a full-time YouTuber or make this anything more than a hobby, but I do want to learn more about photography, videography, and equipment.