New Year's Resolutions

For the upcoming Year of Ox, we put together the following goals last night over the family dinner.

Be a good role model and positive influence

Toward the last couple of months in 2008, I started promoting cardio-kickboxing to my dear hubby and among our closed friends. Not only I’ve found that TKB improve and maintain cardiovascular fitness, but I’ve also learned that TKB increase my strength, flexibility, sharpen my reflexes, and boost my metabolism. In addition to all these physical benefits I’ve got in a relatively short session (60 minutes), I also use TKB to work up sweat and relieve stress. It is a total body workout that I cannot seem to get the same benefit out from other exercise routines (e.g. Yoga and Pilates) I’ve done before.

Hiking is another activity I’ve always been passionate about. After each hike, I feel like there’s a certain serenity, a coming-to-peace-with yourself and the world. By the same token as TKB, I’ve found that the benefits of regular hiking are to tone our bodies, calm our minds and keep up with our all-important cardiovascular system. Most certainly some additional benefits from regular hikes are to build endurance and to discover our potential (what our bodies are capable of handling). For all the good reasons, I’ve also strongly encouraged Joshua to hike with us, when his schedule permits.

Due to various personal and work related reasons, our hiking routine and participants have shrunk over the year. In the winter, we’ve tried to hike at least twice a month on Sunday. Our routine is from the Wendy trailhead in N.P., follow the Boney Mountain Trail to Danielson Monument and back. It takes about two hours (no jogging, just hiking/walking) for a total of 6 miles morning hike. Hopefully, we can inspire more friends and families to join us and resume a more frequent hiking routine when the summer comes.

One of my goals was to build a blog and find a bridge to reconnect with friends and family, I got a head start by setting up the JJJ blog before the Year of Rat ended. My goal is to contribute at least two postings a month and to keep friends and family updated with JJJ’s recent development. As I am a firm believer of “true (open, honest, considerate, and respectful) friendship comes first in any relationship”, I would also like to get to know Joshua at a different level (not as a son, as a person, but as a friend). From time to time, I’ve recognized that I do take things for granted (especially where it comes to family) and I have to admit that I was not 100% there for my boy. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and of course time is of the essence, I don’t want to see family blood relationship becomes an excuse for us NOT to connect.

Live a happier, healthier and more productive life

When I was a little girl (probably as young as Joshua’s age now), my father used to tell me “be happy”. I was already a happy-go-lucky kind of girl, did not really appreciate the quintessence of “being happy” and the work behind the scene until I’ve grown older and started my own family. I would like to pass this phrase down to Joshua with all my blessings, wish he could live a fulfilled and happy life.

As JJJ really enjoy “good eats” and have been spending most of its monthly budget on food (on groceries and restaurant bills). And yes, the rumor is true. JJJ do have two full-size refrigerators and both fridges are fully stocked. I reckon it is extra hard for JJJ to give up all the bad eating habits at once. We just have to do it on baby steps, and taking it one habit at a time. Therefore, my new motto for the Year of Ox is, “don’t get involved in a power struggle around eating or other symptoms (such as over indulgence)”. JJJ know it so well, that often time we let the “worst half” takes control over our decision making process when it comes to comfort foods. In spite of this seemed/deemed “mission impossible”, I do believe, with patience and persistence, nothing is unattainable.

Aside from eating healthier food and developing better eating habits, I would also like to make progress on my exercise routine. To start the New Year with a fresh outlook, I increased the frequencies of Gym visits (from one TKB a week to three TKB a week) and I started pushing myself full thrust (give the utmost of my ability) with every possible TKB moves. The more thorough my kicks and punches are, the more sweat I’ve got (hence more calories I’ve burned). The good sign is JJJ”ve become accustomed and I’ve become enthusiastic to my TKB routines every week. At last (after a whopping prepaid membership endorsement and followed by seven years of inactivity), I’ve put our 24Hour Fitness membership to some good uses!

James needs to shed off some unhealthy build-up he has on the abdominal area (AKA, love handle, it is about 30 pounds of excessive weight). It is reassuring to see that he is making progress and I’ve got to give him kudos for making the efforts and working toward his goal.

As I am sure this upcoming year will not be all smooth sailing, my goal is to prepare and be ready to any roadblocks, obstacles, and setbacks that may stand in our ways. JJJ shall be ready for any financial, spiritual, and physical challenges that lie ahead.

Have closures with our bad investments

One of our real estate investment, in particular, has been dragging our feet for too long and too much money down the drain. I truly believe that JJJ’ve learned some valuable lessons and paid a steep price for some bad investment decision. We would love to see it finally comes to an end in 2009. So that James has no excuses of staying up late at night.

Some wisdoms for Joshua

Lately, we’ve found ourselves repeatedly emphasize the followings to Joshua:

Use his time wisely – One thing we keep brainwash Joshua over and over again is to “work hard and play hard”. Every now and then, he seems to mix up work and play, and fail to focus on one task at a time. His 2009 motto is "Do the things that you have to do, so that you can do the things that you want to do."

Be patient – We live in a very impatient culture. Technology has trained us to expect instant gratification. From time to time, Joshua expects instant gratification (aren’t we all), even after he can grasp the concept of “time”. We try to teach him “patience is a virtue” and fortunately patience can be cultivated and nurtured. Joshua tends to rush through work and often misread the questions/instructions. To help him stop making careless mistakes, we try to show him to catch his own mistakes by reviewing and rechecking his work before he turns it in.

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