Happy 2023 + Resolutions
Happy New Year 2023! How is it actually 2023? It only occurred to me last night that I graduated high school 16 years ago! (Wow, did I really just date myself right now?) I really don’t think high-school me could’ve ever foreseen studying at Oxford- and to be quite frank, present-me is still processing this, too. But we are not here for my existential crisis today. Today we are here to discuss my resolutions for 2023!
It’s a little wild to look back on my 2022 New Year’s Resolution post from where I am now: inside the upper reading room at the Bodleian Library, and realizing just how much can change in a year. I wrote that post on the 4th of January, not realizing that the grad school application I’d turn in on the 27th of January would be answered on the 8th of March with an acceptance letter. Life really is wild. This experience has taught me so much about myself, which I was not expecting at all. I knew I’d be challenged academically but I did not expect to also be challenged personally. Perhaps I will blog about this another time. Anyway, in no particular order, here are my 2023 resolutions:
1) Express gratitude. I have so much to be grateful for, I always have, and I need to focus on that more. Even when I didn’t have all that I have now I had a lot to be grateful for; I just didn’t always choose to see it. I feel my mood lighten a little every time I wholeheartedly express gratitude, and for this reason I’d like to continue to make it a daily habit.
2) Stop over-explaining. My mind was blown when I learned that over-explaining can sometimes be a symptom of trauma. My mind was even more blown when I realized that I’ve been over-explaining my entire life and didn’t even know it. I’m an adult and ‘I don’t want to’ is a valid reason not to do something or go somewhere. Even when I was a child it was a valid reason. It’s no ones’ business why I choose to do things or not, and even if they’re curious and want to ask, it’s still my decision whether I choose to elaborate or not. Undoing something I’ve naturally always done will be tricky but I know it will get easier with time and practice.
3) Reinforce my boundaries more. This is very similar to my resolution above except I’m applying it more generally and into al aspects of my life. It’s a little sad to admit but the concept of ‘boundaries’ is something I only learned about two or three years ago. I know I shouldn’t beat myself up over this but I am a little embarrassed about how often I’ve inadvertently crossed other’s boundaries simply because I didn’t realize what a boundary was. That’s what happens when your boundaries have been crossed pretty much your whole life. But now that I’m aware of the fact that others reinforcing their boundaries doesn’t mean they care about me any less, or that even when I reinforce mine I’m not being mean, I definitely owe it to myself and others to continue to explore and work through this more.
And there we have it. Just like last year, my resolutions are more-so things about myself that I’d like to work on versus things I want to accomplish, although technically it’s kind of the same. Ever since I started my self-love and inner-child journey it’s all I can think about so it makes sense that my resolutions are things that will help with those journeys. I wish I had more fun resolutions, like traveling to a particular place and such, but alas, such is my life. What about you guys? What are your 2023 resolutions? Are they along the same theme as mines or more concrete targets like marathons, reading books, etc.? Would love to hear about either or both! Until next time.
xo
P.S. This post’s image is of the RadCam here in Oxford from just a few hours ago <3
