Another year has just passed. At this time, I, as I’m sure many of you do, look back at what I did in the past 12 months and plan for the coming 12 months.
The year 2018
I consider the Year of the Dog as a pivotal year in my life. Unlike the two years prior to it, for various reasons, I was excited for 2018 to start. Although I was not eager to become a Golden Girl last year, I seized the opportunity to challenge myself and discard the dreariness of 2016 and 2017. The year 2018 saw me try my hand at being a punk rock band lead singer and a recording “artist” (although I recorded only one song for my firm’s year-end party), while I continued my foray into classical singing. I impulsively got up on a chair at a sports bar and sang in front of a crowd to cheer my alma mater’s basketball team. Whereas the fear of failure previously froze me into inaction, last year it pushed me to prepare, practice and learn, and energized me to become bold and audacious. If I’m going to fail, I might as well fail gloriously. But I did manage not to make a fool of myself.
Last year saw me regain control over my health, starting with seeing a new endocrinologist, returning to healthy eating and exercising, and trying a new dietary regimen (and it’s a regimen that my husband was eager to participate in). I also cooked more, this time relying on the thoroughly delicious keto recipes of Carolyn Ketchum (alldayIdreamaboutfood). I enjoyed spending time again in the kitchen. With healthy eating and more exercise, I happily bid farewell to a few kilos, which will not be missed. I have regained a better handle on my diabetes and pushed back on the havoc that the previous two years of half-hearted focus on my health brought to my HbA1c, blood glucose, waistline and health. Although I am not back to the level of blood glucose control I had prior to 2016, I was clearly on my way there during the latter half of 2018.
The few opportunities I had to travel reconnected me with old friends and family, and allowed me to rediscover my country’s history, food, movies, literature and culture. I also feel that 2018 allowed me to continue to grow from a professional point of view and to confirm to myself how much I love what I do.
These are simply some of the important things that 2018 brought me. I cannot complain. I was blessed; I am blessed.
The year 2019
Because of my rewarding experiences in 2018, I am especially motivated to do better this year. There are still things to learn and improve on. There are so many things I want to do this year and beyond, both personally and professionally. I have never been this excited since the day I got married.
This year my main goal is to primarily continue what I started last year. That may sound unexciting and uninspired but it is easy to start things while keeping the course requires a lot more work. Health-wise, in real terms, that means:
- Keeping my A1c at less than 6%
- Losing my abdominal fat
- Building more muscles
- Being more physically active
- Continuing the new dietary regime my husband and I started last year (more on that in the next article)
I want to add doing a half-marathon but my legs are not cooperating. The plate attached to one leg, which is my memento from a skiing accident, is causing pain in my leg and changing my gait. So, I’ll deal with that issue first before looking at doing races again.
I also have other resolutions regarding other aspects of my life. One of these other resolutions includes trying really hard to keep this blog updated.
In essence, the foregoing resolutions are not really new. As I said, they sound boring, old and familiar; and, yes, they are. But a New Year’s resolution does not have to be something drastic or completely new. It can be as simple as continuing what one has started.
I am looking forward to a very rewarding, fruitful and exciting 2019. Happy New Year everyone!
Running Without Sugar 