Well we've entered a whole new year since I last wrote. Time flies. It's been exactly one year and 12 days since I landed on Korean soil. I honestly have no regrets. It surely has been an eventful year. It's had its ups and downs. The great thing about downs is there is nowhere you can go but up. From being homesick, dealing with the constant weight of paying student loans (quite stressful), figuring out my life and my future, I've had my down days. But I've also had many "up" days-more so than down. The key, I always say, is maintaining a positive attitude. I am so incredibly grateful for my life and the people that are in it. I've said this a lot in my blog, but I really have learned a lot about myself this year. However, at the end of each day, at the end of each year, I always come to the conclusion that I am not perfect. I will never be perfect. I won't even try to be perfect, but I will always, always try to be better.
My motto for this year is "No Excuses". To often, I procrastinate, become lazy and prevent myself from moving forward simply by making excuses. I am the queen of excuses.
This year I've gained 10 pounds and the year before that about 5. I made excuses for this all year. One of my excuses was the lack of my preferred exercise facility. There are gyms in Korea, sure, but in my area they don't offer all that I am used to. The gyms I went to in the States all had classes in addition to gym equipment. I've always preferred classes because of the variety, the group setting, and the free trainer you get telling you exactly what to do. The gyms in my town only consists of gym equipment with a bonus of staring Adjummas (old women) and Adjussies (old men). Not only do I get bored with gym equipment, I prefer not to go to place where I'm unintentionally the main source of entertainment, especially while heaving and sweating. Work out at home you say? Sure! Except when I'm too lazy and too bored to do it. I've become completely spoiled working out in group settings in the States and having gym partners that now my mind rejects the idea of anything else. See there is my excuse! Also, Korean food is not as healthy as some may think. It's filled with salt, sugar and carbohydrates. The main protein dishes often involve fatty cuts of beef or pork. Thus, eating school lunch, going to to school outings, and feeling pressured to eat all the snacks brought into the office definitely contribute to some added poundage. When you include all the social gatherings amongst expats, that almost always involve food, it's easy to see why I've put on so much weight. So there are my excuses. While some may be understandable, they are still excuses. If I really really put my foot down and was serious about maintaining my health, I could do it. Now to overcome that motivation hurtle.
So, like every year, this year has been raft with excuses. I know that by making these excuses I am holding myself back. I know for certain that I can be better. I feel the potential in me, the passion, the knowledge to be better than I am today. I've realized the basis for a lot of my excuses is fear. Fear of the unknown. It's easier to say "I can't do it because..." I'm afraid to do it" or "I don't want to do it". There are many things that I've wanted to do in life that I've been too afraid to do..too afraid of failure. So my goal this year is to break away from that fear and allow myself to grow and be better.
I've started a vision board to remind myself of some of the things I want to accomplish. They are not great big life goals or anything. It's just a visual for some things that I've never done because I've either procrastinated to no end or made excuses as to why I can't do them. Sometimes thoughts, dreams and goals get lost in your head. I know for sure my mind is a jumbled mess. Most of the time I can't figure it out. So to remind myself of some of the things I want to accomplish and positive things I want to always remember I've started this vision board. I think everyone should have one...if only to remind you of who you are and who you want to be.
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| Working on my Vision Board |
