I love making lists. Resolutions. Bucket lists. 10, 20, 30 things to do before (insert age.) Going through my endless old journals the other day I found a frightening amount of these. And I thought- it’s time to let some of these go. They just aren’t going to happen and maybe I can focus more on the things that will.
So below the long-term resolutions I love that I’m letting go of…
Learn a language
I’ve tried. I’ve tried since high school. French, Spanish, German and an ill-conceived go with Latin. I did best with sign language actually but I just don’t keep it up and I have a feeling in order for it to really stick with me I’d need to be immersed in it to such a degree that’s not likely.
Learn to surf.
This usually says learn to surf or ski and I decided to lose surfing because there are just too many variables and complications in an ocean. When I say I still want to ski I mean just put on the skies and push down a bunny slope once or twice. I can probably manage that easier than riding a wave.
So skiing remains on the list.
Run the Disney Marathon
At least I was being reasonable here and saying Disney and not like the New York marathon or something. I probably just wanted to go to Disneyland when I wrote this because unless, “Jason Mamoa is waiting at the finish line,” is what I hear I’m probably not running anywhere and even then I probably wouldn’t make it.
Pay off my Credit Card Debt
I wish I could let it go. I mean if it hasn’t happened yet… But I should probably buckle down on this one. Kids learn from my stupid childish mistakes. If you say credit cards are for emergencies that does not mean expensive Christmas gifts that you couldn’t pay for otherwise or your Netflix subscription so you, ‘don’t have to think about it.’
Learn How to Change Oil/Tire
I actually wrote this about two years ago when I paid off my car so yeah, it makes sense that I would want to practice good car ownership. But it’s probably better if I don’t get anywhere near those things. For me and the car.
Learn How to Play a Musical Instrument
A couple of years ago my mom actually had a piano- it was my grandparents and they downsized she stored it. I never touched it. She sold it after awhile and I probably only realized that could have been my chance when I was looking through those lists. Shows you how much I really wanted it.
This isn’t the end of the resolutions. I still have a million places I want to travel. A millions novels I’d like to write (or just finish one and publish it at this point!) People I’d like to meet and things I’d like to conquer but these few are snowflakes in my mind now drifting away.
And I’m going to see if I can tear myself away from The Wicked King long enough to finish cleaning this stuff out and organizing my shelves!
I am with you on the oil changing, don’t bother. But you really should learn how to change your tire. Once my tire popped on a country highway, and not a single person drove by for a full half hour to help me change it. No cell phone reception. It’s really not that hard, and you just never know.
Fair point 🙂 But driving is one of the things that kick my anxiety into overdrive. I rarely do it by myself even really just work but you never know I suppose.
Hmm, yes well, anxiety makes a difference. You do you!
I would love to learn a language! I’ve studied Chinese for 5 years but had to drop it for other subjects. I also spent 2 years playing the clarinet but haven’t continued with that ah. I’m hoping that maybe I can pick up the two again after I finish school. Good luck with your resolutions!
sorry ah I meant good luck with shelf cleaning 😂
Thanks!
yes its important to clear the clutter and make way for what you really want to do. Also what are these not important? Sometimes its hard to accomplish our goals but lizard brain convinces us to be lazy. I am making my goals and trying to differentiate.
I think priorities change and interests fade. Most of the time for me its hard to let these things go which only serve to make me feel bad about not getting them done 🙁 I’m definitely not letting go of things like publishing a book or seeing the Northern Lights 🙂 Those are the ones that are still truly important to me.
yes I know what you mean and this year already feels good as I have cut out a lot and sticking to what truly matters to me,
Best wishes with everything you do this year! I know you’ll have a great one 🙂
thanks you too!
I love this idea of a resolutions unhaul! I’ve never been a huge resolution person in the first place. I think sometimes they can be good, but most of the time they just add this unnecessary pressure!
I swear sometimes I think it’s just my love of making lists!
I think the idea of an unhaul is great because sometimes things just aren’t realistic or can’t happen right now so it puts too much pressure on us.
And then usually (at least in my case) we fell like crap when we realized we haven’t gotten them done!
Exactly and we focus on what we didn’t do instead of everything we actually managed to accomplish.
I love your post! I usually set myself with goals my “aspirational” self would appreciate but my real self has no interest in whatsoever. I will let go of some of them too! 😊
Is The Wicked King good? I can’t wait to read it, I really enjoyed The Cruel Prince! 😊
I’m only on chapter five. It’s certainly throwing you right back into everything. The fae court makes King’s Landing look a little uncomplicated 🙂
He he, everything is rather simple when compared to King’s Landing. I cannot wait for the new season of GoT – April this year, fingers crossed. 😊
This is so cool, I agree with most of them, I had them on my list, too (tire change, learn an instrument, learn a new language). Sometimes, we just need to accept we can’t do everything!
Yep 🙂 And I have to admit if I really wanted to do some of those things I probably would have already!
Learning a new language is still on the cards for me as I aspire to be polyglot by 50 but others are not on my radar. This is such a neat thing you’re doing. Marie Kondo would surely approve ! 😀
She might and then she’d take one look at my house and my bookshelves and run screaming for the hills! A polyglot would be awesome. I know speaking multiple languages is a great skill to have. I bet you’ll do it before 50! 🙂
Lol. Thank you friend <3.
Haha, love the idea. Yes, i think it’s good to let some things go. I’m not one of those people who believe that all boundaries need to be pushed and everything need to be challenged.
I kept telling myself i learn spanish, but haven’t even got to the point where i’d start… and it’s been like 10 years now. 😀
You still got plenty of time! My nephews kindergarten class is learning Japanese. I obviously did not go to the right schools 🙂
Hahaha… and the obligatory “back in my day, we ate dirt in kindergarten!” 😀 But yes, no languages in mine either.
I’d run for Jason too….but other than that no way 😀 Your goals are so ambitious! If I attempted some of those like surfing I’d probably end up dying 🙂
Ha! If the running didn’t kill me he certainly would. I might squeak out a you’re so wonderful before hand but that would definitely be the end of it!
🎵🎵 Let it Go, Let it Go🎵🎵 now I am going to have this stuck in my head all day :p Haha but I like the idea of cleaning out your lists! Is it fun to see the old stuff you had written or is it pretty much the same things on your new lists? And you should probably learn to change a tire still. Oil doesn’t matter but its super handy to know how to change a tire and its not that hard!
I know 🙂 It’s a good point. I drive so little though and no place I’m not familiar with but you never know I suppose!
I learnt to roller skate when I was 30 and broke my leg so be careful 😀! I’d stick to car maintenance lol.
Oh dear! I can see myself breaking something to be honest 🙂
😂 best stick to reading!
Ah I feel like this is such a healthy thing to do. I can completely relate to the language one- like you, I just don’t think I’m going to be able to learn a language properly unless I fully immerse myself, but that’s not gonna happen any time soon. So what I’m trying to do is just dip my toes into the water and see how it goes for now- hopefully in the future I’ll be able to devote more time to it. I’ve no intention of running any marathons though 😉 (I don’t enjoy running enough to do it for hours straight) Ah I hear you about playing an instrument as well- I’ve put that on pause too. Great post! I really relate to this!
Yeah it is fun to play with the language apps and videos. If I ever get to move to France or something I think I could do it. I don’t like to run either who knows what I was thinking? Maybe a marathon for fast walkers? I would nail that!
hehe yeah maybe me too 😉 hahaha yes me too! 😉
Wow, that’s quite a list! I find that, unless you’re in school, learning a language can be a tricky thing to fit around your schedule and our schedules just keep getting crammed and crammed until there just isn’t enough time to do with the time remaining other than rest… never mind learning a language. And so with you on the Disney marathon! I think I’ve only watched Bambi and Lion King (from the old school Disney) and I didn’t care for either, not even the deaths, so at this point I’m wondering what’s the point of watching the others? I’ll stick to tangled, that is usually enough for me. 🙂