How to Start the New Year Right

It’s practically the 4th week after New Year and I could say that for the longest time, I started the New Year on the way I planned it to be.. Sometimes, New Year’s are predictable, especially when I was still working in Singapore. It would be the same face, same situations, same scenarios.. However, due to this pandemic and the realities that I have to face staying at home, this new year is somehow different.

How was I able to say that I started my new year right? Let me share to you what I have done so far..

PLANNING

I used to write a “To Do List”, my husband always reminds me of this, though this has been my practice since I was studying in the university.

Since I have a lot of tasks here at home, some errands that I need to do within the year/month are needed to be listed.

COMMUNICATING WITH HUSBAND

Most of the plans that I listed are basically what my husband and I agreed upon. There are some that need to be postponed due to some reasons (i.e. budget constraint or time). It is very important for couples to have the same goals, to have their minds in sync for the future. Should there will be conflicts between them, the goals that they planned should be their motivations to move forward.

EXECUTION

What is the use of proper planning if there will be no execution? Execution must also be planned, how we could achieve such goals.

Let me share with you one of my goals this year.. When my husband went back to Singapore for work, I was a little frustrated because I gained a lot of weight and for the first time in my life, my weight became 70 kilos. This is way too high for me. I was very alarmed.

Since then, I ate less carbohydrates and had a very strict diet. To date, for almost 2 weeks, I already lost 3 kilos. My exercise is more of cleaning of the entire house. Sometimes, I walk in our village. I do stretching every morning too.

Execution should not be all at the same time.. Since I already have the list of the things that I need to do. I prioritize those. What needs to be done first.

ORGANIZING

Part of the execution is for all things in the house to be organized. I am so blessed that my husband was here with me during the start of the year. We bought racks and boxes so that things here at home will be organized. It’s better to move and execute plans when everything is in order.

I organized all the documents too. Be it my daughter’s school activities or our medical records.

END RESULT

It’s good when planned goals are materialized. I remembered before when the brother of my grandmother approached me. Things were going smooth with me that time, and he told me.. “you seemed so lucky in everything you do”. I just answered him saying, “Tatay (grandfather), a person is lucky when she knows how to plan”.

There a saying that, “The mercy is from God, but the hard work are from men” (Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa). If we just keep on praying but is not doing anything about what we are praying for, chances are it would not be granted.

God bless on your 2022! We are just starting.. Let’s thank God for this brand new beginning!