The blogging world and offline is filled with so many inspirational posts about ‘New Year = New Me’. I’ve been a resolution junkie all my life i.e. making a long list of resolutions for the year on the first and trying for the first few weeks to do them and always inevitably giving up by February. I started this practice in my teens and kept at it till my mid-twenties. As I read Bloganuary’s first prompt, I felt tempted to review my New Year’s resolutions from 15 years back, back in school preparing for high school and beyond.
Resolution #1: Lose Weight
The number of years this resolution has made my list! Ever since I was younger, I was constantly made to feel like my weight made me ugly and every year, I’d vow to lose weight and start on a weight loss journey in January only to abandon it a few months in.
What my resolution should have been – To be more active and eat healthy.
I had a pretty sedentary lifestyle in high school since I’d wedge out in front of my books studying ALL day in the hopes of getting through the top colleges in India. I’d also binge eat as a way to reduce my stress. The correct resolution should have been to just eat healthy and go do some sort of physical activity every single day.
(Read my post on accepting myself as I am with all my flaws.)
Resolution #2: Study 18+ Hours A Day To Make Sure I Clear My Dream College
I was obsessed with getting through my dream college to the point that I’d study till 1AM and wake up again at 5AM and study before heading to school. I wouldn’t talk to friends and not do anything fun since it would distract me from my goal of being the best.
What my resolution should have been – Work hard but also enjoy life beyond studies
15 years later I now know how much fun and carefree school days were. I’d have liked to spend less time worrying about my future and being so focused on proving that I am intelligent by getting a top rank. I’m pretty sure I’d have done equally well if I had chilled and enjoyed my final school years.
Resolution #3: Talk to that dream boat crush
I finally had my first real crush on this gorgeous boy in school. As much as I’d try, I couldn’t muster up the courage to go talk to him so I’d gawk at him from a distance forever thinking that he was out of my league.
What my resolution should have been – Just be myself around crush and get to know him to see if he has anything more than good looks to offer
I’ve spent so much time worrying that I might not be good enough for someone only to realize after wasting time that they weren’t worth my time. I wish I could have explained to me back then to up my self worth and just talk to him. Maybe it could have become more? 🙂
And that was a throwback to my simple resolution list from back in high school. I was pretty focused on studying (yes, I was a nerd) and didn’t really care about much else. I was a huge romantic too, always hoping to meet my soulmate at the next corner (argh). I really wish I could tell myself from back then to just chill out and enjoy school life, enjoy that moment instead of worrying about the future and wishing to grow up. What would you tell yourself from 15 years back?
Note: This post has been written with reference to the Bloganuary prompt – ‘What advice would you give to your teenage self?‘ Are you taking part in Bloganuary?
PS: Do you notice something new? Happy Panda has a new address – ‘thenirvanatales.com’ 🙂
Checkout my other recent posts as well –
Happy Panda 
This really took me back and my biggest regret is I could have fun while studying. I know education is the most important thing but little fun never hurts anyone. I was very studious in my college days and I wish I could enjoyed a lot more while studying. College life never comes back.
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It feels nice to find somone to relate to. Your renewed resolutions have my heart ❤️ May we all continue to grow with the same spirit 🌼
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I agree!! I also love this idea of how you (happy panda) took your old resolutions and changed them to become a motivating mindset and to help you become a better version of you. Your resolutions aren’t to be like other people or waste your life away anymore.
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Great way to blend looking back and moving forward. Here’s to momentum. xo
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I love the way you improved them and made them more positive – it’s a great thing to think about!! :))
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I see myself in you so much with regards to boys and crushing from afar! And also with obsessing over a guy only to realize he sucks! And that there was no reason for me to be insecure around him. Thank u for always sharing your humanness. It’s endearing and relatable!!! 💖😘😊
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I think it’s normal when you’re younger to resolve to do things that in reality are too much. I know I’ve become more mindful of my goals as I have got older
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I remember making those kinds of very generalized resolutions, having no clue how to realistically achieve them, trying to muddle through and then giving up in frustration because I wasn’t successful.
I love how you have turned each one around and written it in a way which gives the solution! This just shows how much you’ve learned and grown since then!
This growth isn’t automatic as we grow older! I received the first kind of advice from my mother and continued to get fit even as she became the age I am now. I found her advice to be frustrating and maddening because it wasn’t realistic.
Learning how to approach life the second way takes mindfully learning and then applying new approaches, for we only are able to offer advice from our deep wellspring after we have internalized it!
Bravo for all your growth and hard work!
Blessings for the New Year!
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The only time I wished I could go back and relive was my high school years. We had just moved to a place, I didn’t know anyone, and I wasn’t the kind of person (at the time) who put myself out there to meet new people and try new things. I found myself in college and became the person I’d wanted to become. Better late than never. Experience is the best teacher.
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Same! I was so conscious of myself that I would never put myself out there but I started doing it later in my 20s. But like you I think I was meant to learn from my experiences. 🙈
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Wow, 15 years ago! So much changes in that time, especially as you get older, each year holds so much more opportunity! I would tell my younger self to keep writing and to never stop. Have confidence in yourself, your abilities and if you have passion for it, keep going. Thanks for sharing, Moksha! 🙂
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I loved this post and completely agree with your reviews on your past resolutions! I only started setting resolutions recently and I try to not put too much pressure on myself with them, but if I did 15 years ago, they probably would have looked like yours back then! 😅 I hope you had a lovely new year and I wish you all the best for the one that just started!
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