Realistic Resolutions for 2018

One of my last days in Wellington. New Year’s Eve, 2017

Every January I lay out concrete, practical goals for the year. See resolutions from previous years here.

Soooo 2017 wasn’t great. 2017 was the dirt-flavored jelly bean, the collapsed soufflé; the disappointing taste of vodka in your martini when you definitely requested gin.

Basically, the “how the hell did you happen??” of years. 

But to be fair, after nine years of living abroad I was due for one of them to be kind of crap. And in a way, I’m glad it was: when you crash into the ditch, you have a chance to reevaluate your life choices and priorities as you pick yourself back up.

So maybe it’s a reaction to everything that happened last year, or just a natural byproduct of living in New Zealand (aka Land of Lax), but for 2018 I have only three resolutions, and one word to live by: chill.

This year all I want is to be kinder to myself. To chill out with all the friends I have scattered around the world, reconnect with the cities and activities that bring joy — and not overextend myself in some search to find more. I already have plenty of good things in my life and I’m realizing that for now, it’s enough. 

I’m 28, I’ve been abroad a decade now; I know what makes me happy and don’t feel like chasing novelty for the sake of novelty. (Not this year, anyway.)

So onto the goals, which I’ve quite blatantly stolen from my friend Laura, who made this toast while we drank cheap Moa Lagers on a friend’s rooftop on Christmas Eve:

“To health, wealth, and minimal heartbreak”

My first stop after leaving New Zealand. 2018’s off to a flying start.

HEALTH

The hospo lifestyle proved to be a troublesome combination of hearty late-night staff meals, excessive (like, super excessive) alcohol consumption, and atrocious sleeping habits. Even going to the gym regularly couldn’t save me from putting on some weight (#thisis28) so this year I’d like to get back to my pre-New Zealand physique. Shouldn’t be too difficult now that I’ve removed myself from that environment, so come at me beach season. 

WEALTH

For various reasons, I left New Zealand with less money than when I started. (Including, but not limited to: low wages, high cost of living, and being owed thousands of dollars in backpay. Woof.)

So really when I say “wealth” what I mean is “being acceptably financially afloat for someone teetering this close to 30”. I have a certain number in my head that I’d like to see realized in my bank account by the end of the year…though as it stands I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to feed myself after my Olympics contract ends so better get cracking on this one. But! At least I now also have bartending as a job option.

AND MINIMAL HEARTBREAK 

Bit self-explanatory, innit? After a year of getting done over by Kiwi dating culture — on top of the already flighty nature of dating within hospo — I am more than happy to step back from romantic entanglements for a good, long while. My heart is out of office and it’s not taking calls.

Luckily, getting back on the road full-time pretty much guarantees I’ll be single all year. All the more love to share with you, my friends.

It’s going to be a good year, I can feel it. How did your 2017 go? What’s your top goal for 2018?

Lead photo by Amiekay, second photo by Jones