How am I Last Year?

By: Mary Ana Seline Angoluan

Do you have your New Year's Resolution already? How was it? But before going to the New Year's resolution let's reflect first on how was your year 2022 New Year's Resolution.

Image taken from: Imgflip

As I pack the "golden dishes" (these are the dishes that are only put out and used during special occasions in the Philippines like Christmas, New Year, and other celebrations - a part of Filipino tradition) back to its cabinets and drawers after celebrating the New Year. I stumble up to this question "How am I last year? Did I achieve the promises that I made for myself January of 2022? Did I reach my goals like what I planned to be? How am I?"

Honestly, just simply answering these questions made me realize that majority of it was not even achieved and I can't help but feel sad about it. But the good thing about it is that I was able to reflect about my goals and look back on my New Year's resolution this year. So I realized that this year I would check again on the goals and plans that I have for myself and try to actually do it using simple steps.

This year as I venture into a new journey I try to reflect first on how I was last year. James Clear have this technique called "Personal Annual Review". It sounds like a company protocol though but it actually applies to everyone. It is actually a review of your habits that worked for you and didn't. And checking whether those habits helped you achieve those goals and plans that you wanted for 2022.

For example, last year one of my goal is to eat healthy food but since the Pandemic got extended and I was stuck on the mindless busy schedule of medical school. Instead of being mindful of what I eat I drink a lot of coffee, ate a lot of chocolate, and not knowingly I started to eat six times a day. Yes! six times a day! At the end a gained 5 pounds in just a year. I got bloated, my jeans doesn't fit me anymore, and I started to have acne because of all the sugar that I am taking. My habits changed from being mindful of what I eat to something that eats everything. Stress should not be an excuse for me to not take care of myself.

Now that I'm no longer in medical school I no longer have a reason not to be mindful of what I eat. This 2023, my goal is to be healthy, and I should align my habits on that too. As Antoine de Saint - Exupery said "A goal without a plan is just a wish". So this year, my goal is to eat healthy so I plan to download an app to track my calorie intake, and spend at least 15 minutes a day exercising. And I should stick to it regularly.

How about you? How are you last year? Were you able to do the new year resolution that you've promised yourself January of 2022? If yes, good job just keep on going but if not I do suggest that you try James Clear's Personal Annual Review Technique.