Like most people at around 11:55pm, December 31st, I hurriedly thought about what it was that I wanted out of the following year, and made snap decisions on the things in my life that I can improve upon or can change. Like most people, I also realized around 3 days later that it was a rather poor list and that I would never actually follow through on them, and to be honest had no desire to.
I did however, come up with a revised list of resolutions which I believe are things which I can attain this year, and will actually be beneficial to me. Looking through the semi-transparent mirror that is a combination of reflection and projection has meant that I have come up with a SMART (specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and timely) list of goals. They cover all aspects of my life and hopefully will assist me with looking back on 2012 with the same level of fondness that I viewed 2011.
For me, 2012 is shaping up to be really exciting. I will be returning home in the not-too-distant future, although exact dates remain uncertain and I am really looking forward to seeing family and friends again. 2012 is also however, inherently going to be a sad year. I had no idea when I arrived in South America how attached I would become to the place and my new friends. Saying goodbye to friends and family in February last year was difficult, but I knew that there was a deadline on when I saw them again. Leaving Chile however is not quite the same proposition, I truly want to see again my friends here who have made my time here such an incredible experience . Given the uncertainty in my future right now, I unfortunately am not sure when that will actually be. There is no way that I could have survived this year, let alone prospered personally as well as professionally if it wasn’t for the immediate friendship and support that I was greeted with at 10am on my first day. I hope that I see them again soon, but nonetheless I imagine that I will get emotional again, Fran will call me a little girl and I will sit on the airplane, wishing there was a way that I could stop time and spend a just a few days more on this wonderful continent.
Having said all of that, I am excited about the future and the prospect of living in Australia again, readjusting to life in my home country and seeing a game of AFL live. I am really looking forward to seeing what challenges and adventures 2012 brings, and my expectations for 2012 are extremely high, although as a Richmond supporter my expectations are always high in January.
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Beat a Grandmaster – 2011 was the first time I drew with a GM, and I have recorded several victories against IM’s, 2012 will be the year for my first GM scalp.·
Complete fluency in Spanish – I feel I am quite close, however a combination of vocabulary, and a devilish tense called the subjunctive are currently standing between me and being able to express myself in every context I want.·
Get fit again – In 2010 I was in really good shape, but unfortunately due to a variety of factors I let that slip in 2011. Running or cycling every day and eating more healthily will be on the cards once my clothes and shoes return from the abyss that is Iberia’s luggage service.·
I am going to maintain contact with my friends better – I made excuses throughout most of 2011 for not maintaining the level of contact with my mates that I should have. In 2012 there won't be excuses and will make sure that I stay in touch.·
Get more organised – In the second half of 2011 my organisational skill improved significantly and I have been able to juggle more balls and maintain order in my life much better than in the past. I want this to continue, and am committed to having my life achieve a level of positive structure.·
Post on my blog weekly – I started the year with a great deal of verve and excitement, and communicating this to the internet seemed like an excellent idea. However, once time started to become a little scarcer as other interests took over I got lazy and didn’t post for a long time. ·
Take up a new extracurricular past time – this is a little vague, but the possibilities include things like: learning an instrument, playing football again, taking creative writing classes, joining toastmasters (probably the frontrunner atm), martial arts or learning to dance.
