New Year, New You? NY Resolutions Thread

[Asura]

Anyone got any New Years' Resolutions? What are they?

[thinkitty]

I had loads. In fact I had a list of maybe twenty. Off the top of my head:

Quit smoking - smoked two ciggies in the last 9 weeks so pretty good with this one.
Cut down drugging - so far so good although this was done only to help support quitting smoking.
Cut down drinking - so far so good but, again, only done to help quit smoking.
Take up meditating - failed on this one. Mean to every day but always tell myself I don't have the time. Strange, considering I find time to post on the internet, watch pointless youtube videos and several other frivolous things. It's funny the number of lies we tell ourselves to justify our behaviour and feel better.
Take up a martial art - failed. Haven't even looked in to it.
Spend less time online - I feel pretty satisfied with this one but could do better.
Spend more time with girlfriend/family/friends - not bad but definitely room for improvement.
Volunteer somewhere - Total failure. Haven't even looked into it. Too selfish.
Cut down selfishness - this is a tricky one as some habits are deeply ingrained but so far I failed on this one. I don't mean materialistically selfish either (giving money is easy if you have it), I mean giving time and attention. I find that hard. Too selfish.
Be more present: - another tough one due to ingrained habits. If I took up meditation then maybe I'd be making headway (must make time ) but, no, I still live mostly in my head, still spend far too much time thinking of the past, dreaming of the future, caught up in my opinions, judgments, analysis. I guess Buddhists would describe it as sleepwalking. Why is the present moment not enough?
Drink more water - Success. Easy one though.
Eat more healthily: - Happy with this one.
Walk for 30 minutes every day - So far so good. Even bad weather ain't stopped me getting out.

[thinkitty]

I remember two more.

Give up porn - first week was tough because thought about porn frequently. It got much easier after that, but then after around 4 weeks completely out of the blue I succumbed to temptation. I felt gutted about it too. When I was in my thirties I dated a practicing Buddhist who showed me a Tibetan movie about a young monk brim full with desire. I can't remember the movie's name but one of the central and repeated aspects was the question a Buddhist priest set: “What is more important: satisfying one thousand desires or conquering just one?” Being quite hedonistic at the time, I distinctly remember thinking "What a stupid question, satisfying a thousand desires is much more important. Only an idiot would think otherwise." Now I'm approaching fifty however, I realise I had it wrong. Every desire snuffed out is a shackle broken and freedom is the ultimate joy. If only wisdom came early in life. Why must it come so late, if at all? Strange how a single wank led to deep existential and philosophical contemplation.

Learn to play piano - excited about this one. Found a relatively cheap second hand piano, getting it delivered on the other hand was ridiculously expensive, but since it arrived I've been practicing diligently every day. Determined to stick at it and not lose interest. Nice to fill a home with live music.

[QualityChimp]

Maybe add "oversharing" to your list of things to give up?

[fishbowlhead]

I’m just going to carry on being awesome.

[randombs]

I had loads. In fact I had a list of maybe twenty

It’s still early March, mate, so don’t worry too much about the resolutions you haven’t fulfilled yet

[QualityChimp]

Haven't heard from thinkitty for a while.

Getting worried he's tugged himself unconscious with dehydration.

[Atticus]

I’m sure he’ll pull himself together

[Wools]

Don't beat him up about it.

[wakka]

[randombs]

Haven't heard from thinkitty for a while.

Getting worried he's tugged himself unconscious with dehydration.

Can you post that Eastenders “I got nuffink left!” video?