Making and keeping New Year’s resolutions
View(s):We all love making New Year resolutions. Although most of us might struggle at the halfway mark, this week we feature young people who’ve successfully made and kept their resolutions. As we find out it takes determination and perseverance to see your resolutions home.
Oken Silva, 20
At the start of the year I told myself that since I’ve got a job in a field that I always wanted to do, I want to work hard and become the best a 19 year old guy who works can be. I think I did a lot of things this year that I could be proud of. I believe that I got the opportunity to prove to the older experienced people that young guys like us can make a difference.
Migara Wijesinghe, 21
I’ve never touched anything alcohol related and neither do I smoke. Last year’s resolution was to stick to that, and stay away from all that junk which is actually pretty difficult because everyone else my age is on that bandwagon. So I just hang out with these two friends who are not into that either. Can you believe it? Only TWO.
Ruvi Balasooriya, 19
My new year’s resolution was to lose weight. It probably sounds the most predictable, but it’s something I’m very proud of because it’s the end of the year and here I am, 27 kilos lighter. My motivation was a pair of jeans I couldn’t fit into, and every time I struggled I’d imagine how amazing it would feel to put them on and fit perfectly into them-now the jeans are 3 sizes too big! It also helped that there was a clothes store right in front of my gym, so I had that to keep me motivated when I was pushing through my cardio.
Hisham Samsudeen, 20
This year started off on a pretty ominous note for me when I was spinning at an ordinary New Year’s party. It got me thinking about my career as a DJ, and helped me straighten my goals for the year. My New Year resolution was to become a well-known DJ, and voila, at the dawn of 2014 I’ll be opening at the New Year party at The Kingsbury.
Jithen Silva, 21
I made a promise that I was going to push myself further to make something out of myself this year. A few months later, I found myself studying business in Hong Kong. I’ve never been happier than I am now. It’s all well and good to follow a global convention by making resolutions, but make sure that it benefitis your life in someway. Life is short.
Anisha Niyas, 26
I am very goal oriented so at the beginning of every year I always have a list of resolutions – things I would like to achieve during the course of the year in terms of really pushing myself. For this year, one of the resolutions that I did give priority to was to volunteer alot more than I usually do and have it be effective. Being a part of a cancer fundraiser, where we had an outdoor concert was challenging but worth it. Also running communication’s for a volunteer organization – Dare to Dream, as well as doing projects with STITCH and United Nations Volunteers was enriching. So yes, I did commit myself to my resolutions and saw it through to the end.
Laksheta Moorjani, 21
Mine was to let go of the unwanted-growing up, along the way you pick up a lot of unwanted baggage and people. They hold you down and because of all these insecurities we struggle to realise our potential. Letting that burden of the unwanted go is something I said I’d work on this year. So far it’s been the best decision I’ve made.
Devin Serasinghe, 20
My resolution for the year was simple but involved a lot of change – to adapt to university life in Malaysia and successfully complete my first year in professional racing after promotion to the Formula 1300’s.
At the end of the year a dream came true when I got the chance to race at the Colombo Night Races. It hasn’t been ideal since I was involved in a couple of crashes this year, but I’m really enjoying every moment along the way and looking forward to a great 2014.
SithiraGunasekara, 21
My New Year’s resolution for 2013 included, a) get my exams done without a hiccup, b) save enough money for a new mobile, c) close my chapter on the Sri Lanka Model United Nations career with a bang. 2/3 isn’t bad for a year if you ask me. Which it was, go figure.