Every year, I find myself making New Year’s resolutions, yet I haven’t always tracked them closely. Time flies by, month after month, even though I’ve always wanted to fully focus on making each day well-lived.

I believe the statement “It’s always hard to start” is somewhat false when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. January 1st marks a fresh start for everyone in such an obvious way that you don’t even need to initiate it for yourself.

Most people make their resolutions, whether loudly or privately, as the refreshment of a brand new beginning can be very tempting to human nature. We all believe that this year could be something special, especially at the beginning of the year. However, as time slowly progresses through the year, most of us either get tired of what we resolved to do or simply lose track while living our seemingly repetitive daily lives. Some can stay ambitious for the first couple of months, and some stick to it for half the year. But I bet few can actually act on their New Year’s resolutions as late as October or November.

Then another New Year approaches with a wake-up call. Most of us feel awakened again, surprised by how fast a year can pass without us achieving anything.

For me, the year 2023 started very amazingly! A trip with my beloved and another trip for my birthday. But things after April all blurred out to be inconsistent lines and even messy dots without any possible chance to reconnect with what actually happened for the later months of 2023.

So this year, I plan to keep track of my resolutions. And most importantly, I’ll keep myself on track and get reminded each day of what I need to do. As the resolutions I made at the beginning of the year may fade as time goes by. I broke my resolutions into daily actions and decided to write a review each week to firm my own memory.

People are easy to turn on auto-mode if they don’t drive their life consciously. I’m not 100% clear about where I’m heading for this life. But for this year, I want to be more free-spirited. I want more love and freedom. I decided to revolve my life around the three trinities: Books, miles, and matters of the heart. Those are things I found precious to me, and I enjoy doing.

All those years, I was so afraid of being alone. But just as I followed through with the plans I made for the past week of 2024, I discovered how busy and fulfilled I could be by simply living my life around the amazing hobbies I’ve developed over the years. I even feel the need to reduce some of my plans since I only have 24 hours in a day. I’m busy with so many things I want to do and love to do each day. I’ve run out of time just living life on my own terms.

I’m surprised! I don’t need anyone or anything to fill my void because I don’t have any room left in me. My sense of emptiness is getting smaller and smaller as I live each day the way I love to. That feeling was so real as each day I checked the chart I made for myself. I accomplished so much in a day, possibly as much as could be done. Still, I have plans left before I have to sleep at 11 pm. I love the days so much; I don’t want them to end.

Previously, I found my days, weeks, even months so boring that I needed to check my phone or do random socializing to fill my time. But now, I’ve run out of any blank space in my day. That feeling is so satisfying! I now understand why so many successful people treat their minutes so preciously. I don’t want anyone or anything to waste my time either! I have so many fun plans for myself, and I feel a sense of accomplishment with each small tick on my chart marking every task I fulfilled that day.

I urge you to try living your life focusing on what excites you rather than simply trying to kill time. Time is the only thing real to each living existence. Whatever I aim to achieve by the end of the year on my new year resolution, it falls into each day, even each minute, being well-lived.

You know what, just last night a rude man called and yelled for no reason at me since he got the wrong number. In the past, I would feel annoyed by that and even think that small accident could ruin my whole day’s happiness. Last night, I wasn’t angered by the rude stranger yelling at me on the phone. Instead, I found myself intrigued, realizing it could be a valuable experience to record in my writing. Observing the situation with a writer’s eye filled me with excitement. Despite the encounter, I feel blessed and happy to have gained this perspective.

Nobody knows what their life expands to while everybody thinks today is basically the same as yesterday. But please just focus on today; maybe all are the repeated tasks, maybe even the repeated food, views, and sex. But something is progressing within those seeming repetitions. Focus, then you could see!