As another year comes to pass, I'm reflecting on what has transpired during the time. There were ups and downs, turbulence and tranquility. I would say I have made more progress this year than in the last 2 years combined. Some of the milestones of my year were as follows:
1) Started College: I actually started this blog around the same time I enrolled in college. Before that, I had this idea that a formal education was not necessary to get ahead in life, and while that may be true, it is more of the exception than the rule. The truth is that to get anywhere in this world, a college degree is highly necessary. Admissions were just closing when I applied and was accepted. Since then, I have been living the typical college lifestyle - never getting enough sleep, drowning myself in coffee, and struggling to keep up with assignments. But having my own blog has helped me vent some of my frustrations and share some intellectual thoughts that elude the majority of those around me.
2) Adopted Atheism: Never in a million years would I have thought I would become atheist. I used to consider myself a somewhat spiritual person, even though I did not swear by any holy book. My progression towards atheism started when I adopted Catholicism. When I realized that Catholicism did not sit right with me, I started to venture into Buddhism and then into Hinduism. Both of these encourage a higher level of rationality as compared to Catholicism, and if they are truly the path to enlightenment, then I would say I reached the end of that path the moment I realized that there was no God.
3) Getting in Shape: This one I have been struggling with throughout my entire young adult life. As a teenager, I have always been extremely skinny and try as I may, I could not seem to gain weight. At the start of this year, I made a resolution to start exercising, and surprisingly enough, I have stuck with it throughout the year. My main motivation has been to imagine myself in my thirties and forties as an out-of-shape blob. This frightening thought will get me started on my push-ups faster than anything. Whatever works, right?
4) Became Emotionally Distant: Having made some shitty decisions based on emotional spurs and living with the results has shown me how dangerous emotions really are. Couple that with atheist reasoning, which necessitates logic and rationality, I realized how illogical and irrational emotions can be. I still get emotional from time to time, but not over silly little things like friends ignoring me or feeling like a social pariah. When people complain to me about the drama in their lives or are fishing for compliments to make themselves feel better, I pull out the usual pat-on-the-back routine, but I make sure to keep my distance lest I get swept up in their petty squabbles.
5) Rise of Ambition: I've always been somewhat ambitious, but this year that ambition got a nitro boost. This could be because I realized I did not want to be in my thirties and just barely scraping by. One day I would like to be a rich corporate figure - preferably as part of a board of directors, own a luxurious apartment, and travel the world. I know this will not come easy. It will take a lot of sacrifice and hard work, but I know the end results will be worth it. Adding to my drive are probably the biographies I read of Michelangelo and Augustus - both of them perfectionists who did not take no for an answer. However difficult the challenges will be, I know I will conquer them. Failure is most definitely not an option for me.
This year has definitely been a win for me. I don't really have any resolutions for the coming year. If anything, my resolution would be to maintain the status quo.
Happy holidays, everyone!