2012 in Review | 2013 Resolutions

Looking back on 2012, it is hard to ignore the rough and painful moments this year brought. My eyes still well up every time I think of my Mom, and like riding a bike, the only thing I can do to keep my balance is to keep moving forward. But there were a lot of wonderful moments too, like adventuring around the world and country (one word: Hawaii), meeting Bill Nye the Science Guy, picking up racquetball/kickboxing/zumba, graduating college and starting my journey to M.D., being featured in a magazine, scooping out free time to enjoy little things like macarons, living through Leap Day/London Olympics/Hurricane Sandy/Obama re-elected/Mayan anti-climatic apocalypse, finally opening up my blog shop, and making lots of statements while getting dressed.

There are a zillion vacation photos waiting to see the light of the interwebs, so my first blog resolution would be to have fun while revisiting those moments and sharing them with you!

I have high hopes for 2013. There are a lot of things out of our control in this universe, but how we react to each day is entirely up to our own volition. Remember to wear your rose-tinted glasses every once in a while and do stupid things that make you laugh until your sides hurt. Surround yourself with people whose company you enjoy unconditionally. Learn to say "whatever" to things - just because you do not worry does not mean you do not care. Each year gifts us a necklace of 365 pearls, and I plan on cherishing every single one. 

Resolution theme: Live in a foreign country called "Out-of-my-Comfort-Zone."

• Be inspired every single day.
• Lose the self-imposed "can't" mentality. Ball it up, toss it in a recycling bin. Let spontaneity take its place.
• Explore my city. Even if it's raining, snowing, Sunday, before a test. I will always be studying or working, so take the scenic route as much as possible!
• Meet new people and listen to their stories. Revisit old friends and build bridges.
• Work on becoming a better person than I was the day before. This involves self-discipline in many aspects and frequent introspection. When in doubt, share more and be kind.
• Remember to give my artistic side some proper lovin': pastel, read, blog, make music ... avidly. Create, create, create.

Did I carry through with last year's resolutions? For a fun comparison, see last year's review in pictures post. Thank you wonderful friends and readers for sharing your time and thoughts since the beginning. To many more adventures and stories!

Readers - what was your favourite moment of 2012 and did you make any New Years Resolutions?