2024/12/30 [Mon]
Reflecting on the Past Year and Setting Goals
Hi Y’all, it’s Jorge again. I can’t believe how fast this year has come to a close. People say that as you get older, the years seem to fly by faster. I wonder how true that is. The past four years have been interesting for everyone around the world, and they have gone by so quickly. Maybe it’s the stress of COVID-19, with many people working from home, recovering from the virus, or dealing with job losses. There are many factors that could contribute to this feeling. How about you? Do you feel like the past four years have gone by faster than usual?
Challenges and Hope for the Future
Many of my friends in the US have been saying “Next year will be my year” for four years now. It’s become a running joke among us. I hope they have the best of luck in the coming years. Many of them are in between jobs, have been laid off, or have had to move back in with their parents due to the high cost of living. Hearing these stories makes me feel bad about how well I’ve been doing. I always wish the best for my friends and family, so hearing they are struggling makes me sad. How about you? Are you doing well? I hope so.
Setting and Achieving Goals
I try to set goals every year. Try is the key word. They don’t always happen, but it’s still good to write down or decide on a few goals. It feels great to look back on your successes throughout the year. You can use that time to reflect on the past and improve for the future. Last year, I didn’t set many goals. Maybe because I was “frozen” in Hokkaido. Not literally, just a joke I like to use. I’m really bad with the cold, but the previous year I set a goal to live in a place that didn’t suit me. I’ve never lived in a super snowy place, only in hotter climates or places that rarely see snowfall. In Tokushima, it snowed a total of three times in the town I lived in. This was great for me but sad for my students who wanted to see snow during the holidays. I’d be happy if it snowed on Christmas, but even happier if it melted the next day. Maybe you could have picked up on this from my previous posts. If I wanted to see more snow in Tokushima, there were better places to visit up in the mountains and then head home to my warm little mountain. Living in Hokkaido was completely different; I couldn’t escape the snow. But houses in Hokkaido are built thick and have strong heaters, so I’d walk around in shorts and a hoodie at home. Driving was the only problem, but it gets better once you learn to be safe and drive carefully.
Embracing the Experience
The food in Hokkaido is amazing. Honestly, it’s so good that I gained weight from all the food and beer I consumed while living there. I regret nothing. It was THAT good. You should visit Hokkaido if you ever come to Japan. If you love eating meat and drinking beer, Hokkaido is paradise. I completed my goal of surviving Hokkaido and now know what it’s like to live in a snowy place. For 2023, my goal was to live in my own apartment again. During my time in Hokkaido, I lived in a share house, which was fun, almost like being back in university. How is it in your country? Do you live with multiple people when you go to university? Maybe it’s different. Anyways, I have too much stuff. I moved out of my apartment in Tokushima expecting to live in another small apartment in Hokkaido. So I brought everything. But rent was expensive in the area, so I was happy to share with others to make it cheaper. After more than a year, I decided it was better to have my own space again. Now that I’m in Gunma, I’m happy to have completed my goal. Sure, I didn’t stay in Hokkaido, and I moved to a new place, but I completed my goal and that makes me happy.
Looking Forward
So how about you? How was your year? What were your wins and losses? What have you learned? What do you want to achieve next year? You don’t have to decide immediately. Some people decide on their New Year’s resolutions a few weeks after the year starts. It doesn’t matter when your goal starts or ends, as long as you keep chasing that personal goal. Whether you succeed or fail, it will be a learning experience. And that’s what life is all about. Sometimes failure is needed to experience success. Do you agree? If not, I’d love to hear your opinion.
