{"id":26417,"date":"2016-01-02T11:13:05","date_gmt":"2016-01-02T19:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=26417"},"modified":"2016-01-02T11:18:32","modified_gmt":"2016-01-02T19:18:32","slug":"new-years-not-to-do-resolutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/02\/new-years-not-to-do-resolutions\/","title":{"rendered":"New Year\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s (Not to Do) Resolutions"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Costa
Costa Mesa, 2015 #cindyproject<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Happy 2016; goodbye 2015.<\/p>\n

Every year, we are told what to<\/em> do for a new year\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s resolution.<\/p>\n

I propose something opposite this year\u00e2\u20ac\u201d let us try to propose things not<\/em> to do this year.<\/p>\n

It is kind of like a Lenten promise\u00e2\u20ac\u201d for 40 days deciding something not<\/em> to do anymore. I have tried Lenten promises in terms of things to<\/em> do\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but these never seem to work out. Figuring out what to not<\/em> do (or abstain from) actually tends to be easier.<\/p>\n

Abstinence is easier than forcing yourself to do something.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An unorthodox view of New Year\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/h2>\n

Every new year is the same\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we pledge new things to<\/em> do. We pledge to<\/em> go to the gym, to<\/em> eat healthier, to<\/em> take more photos, to<\/em> travel more.<\/p>\n

Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s take the opposite approach:<\/p>\n

\n What will we decide not<\/em> to do this year?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Some suggestions:<\/p>\n

If you want to be healthier, decide what to remove or what not<\/em> to eat (simple carbs, sugar, soda, etc) rather than to eat \u00e2\u20ac\u0153healthy\u00e2\u20ac\u009d foods (blueberries, kale, etc).<\/p>\n

Also rather than seeking to be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153happier\u00e2\u20ac\u009d this year\u00e2\u20ac\u201d seek to be less<\/em> miserable. So avoid<\/em> what makes you unhappy.<\/p>\n

Does talking to your (overly dramatic) family bring you stress and anxiety? Slowly cut your ties with them. Does checking social media every 5 minutes cause envy and jealousy? Then spend less<\/em> time on social media (or abstain for it).<\/p>\n

Are you in a shitty relationship in which your partner abuses you (physically or mentally) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d perhaps it is time to cut that relationship out in 2016.<\/p>\n

Are you dissatisfied with your photography? Rather than seeking to make yourself \u00e2\u20ac\u0153happier\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in your photography\u00e2\u20ac\u201d seek ways how you can make yourself less<\/em> miserable. For example, rather than seeking to buy that new camera, see how you can find more contentment with the camera you already<\/em> own (re-read old reviews of your camera, relive how excited you were when you bought it, and write down a list of what you love about your camera).<\/p>\n

Do you have a long commute to work which brings you a lot of stress and misery? Then perhaps this year move closer to your work (even if rent is more expensive) to reduce<\/em> your commute time\u00e2\u20ac\u201d which will cause you less<\/em> misery.<\/p>\n

Have a shitty boss that causes you a lot of stress and anxiety? Try to get a different job, or talk to the person at H.R. and ask them (kindly) to put you into a different department. Apparently having a bad boss causes 80% of the stress in your life (I just made up that statistic).<\/p>\n

And rather than trying to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153self-improve\u00e2\u20ac\u009d your character (being more \u00e2\u20ac\u0153efficient\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153productive\u00e2\u20ac\u009d) seek to become less<\/em> jealous, less<\/em> envious, less<\/em> stressed & anxious.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not telling you to just sit on the couch and vegging out to Netflix\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but rather use your time and energy to be fully engaged with what makes you truly happy (photography, writing, reading, acting, dancing, singing, playing music, etc).<\/p>\n

My personal (not to) do New Year\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Resolutions<\/h2>\n

For me, here are some of my personal not<\/em> to do resolutions this year:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t complain (this never changes my external situations, only causes inner-frustration. Whenever I feel like I want to complain, I will try to use this time to be grateful of what I already have)<\/li>\n
  2. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t buy new shit I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need (electronic devices, camera, car, clothes. I have realized that I actually have more<\/em> than enough\u00e2\u20ac\u201d which causes extra \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcdecision paralysis\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 in my life. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m slowly trying to remove superfluous devices\/clothes\/stuff from my life everyday.)<\/li>\n
  3. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t go on car websites, gear forums, tech websites, the Apple website, distracting social media websites, or any other sites that might stir cravings. As a solution (because I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t trust myself), I have added all these sites to my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153StayFocusd\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chrome plugin to block myself from visiting (Apple, TheVerge, Engadget, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Ford, Mazda, etc).<\/li>\n
  4. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be petty (a small little jab from Cindy can piss me off for hours on end, but I need to remind myself to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153not sweat the small stuff\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Also to be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153magnanimous\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (an ancient virtue of grandeur that the ancients promoted)<\/li>\n
  5. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be hasty when making decisions (I need to let my ideas \u00e2\u20ac\u0153marinate\u00e2\u20ac\u009d longer before making decisions that I will regret)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Not<\/em> buying stuff<\/h2>\n

    I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m moving to Vietnam for a year (starting this summer in 2016), and might actually live somewhere else for a year (possibly France, because Cindy is doing research there).<\/p>\n

    I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t bring all my stuff with my travels. I will try to only bring one backpack, and fit all the stuff I truly need in there\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and travel as light<\/em> as humanly possible.<\/p>\n

    So far I have found out this is what is superfluous:<\/p>\n