2012 -- The Year of Growing Up

According to a study I remember reading before, in the long run, it's actually more harmful to multi-task compared to focusing on getting things done one at a time. And yet, that's basically what I'm doing right now, micro-managing my 'tasks', and yet still finding time to write this blog entry.

As that Jay Sean song would say: "Two, zero, one, two".

2012.

Or as I like to call it, the year of growing up.

To those who know me, or may have read stuff I've written before like in my old blogs, there were also a couple of years back when I called that year the year of growing up. Well, I recant my previous statements and claims. 2012, is the REAL year of growing up.

Why? Well for starters, this is the year I turn 25.

Wooohooooo.

Hooray for quarter-life.

Never mind that the previous years all had their own claims of being the year of growing up, I think even as early as now, it's safe to say that this is or better yet, should be, the year of growing up.

For the most part, I'm excited to turn another year older, after all, turning a year older is experienced by everyone, and I guess I've already pre-conditioned myself into thinking that getting older has its' perks (think: independence).

But then when you think about it, there are also things that need to be done when a person is getting older. For me, 24 was such a blur, no actually I like to think of it more of a smudge. A smudge in my timeline. 24 was a difficult age for me in that I messed up badly a lot of times the past year (like the other years of my life actually). And maybe because I'm already older, it's that the effects of the messing up part made more impact on me this time, and even with the decisions I will be making in the future that's why 24 was/is so difficult.

And you know that feeling like, this is it, there's no turning back anymore. It's pretty much adult-hood from here on out. Yep, that's how I feel right now. And quarter-life crisis is definitely not an option anymore.

Like what I was thinking about earlier, when you get older, you are technically leaving your age behind and moving on and taking upon yourself another number (age-wise). So, in light of what I've read recently (here), I am making a list of 25-random things my 25-year old self should be or have, (in no particular order) starting with these five:

1) Be honest with myself

Like with the link I shared earlier, I think one of the things I should most definitely start with is how I deal with myself.

You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.

I guess it's more of just taking an understanding with the things I like, don't like or the persons I may like or do not like. It's also about dealing with the totality of my being. Hence this list, and along with that comes the next:

2) Realize that sometimes, failure is an option.

Since i'm going along the path of honesty with myself, this would have to be added on the list. I don't know where this pseudo-superiority complex I have came from (only child tendencies maybe?), but growing up (and sadly until now), I have sometimes secretly held up this notion in my head; that failure is not an option. I know a lot of times already when I let certain opportunities pass by me out of that fear of failure. I guess now that I am at the brink of adulthood, I have to get over myself and accept the fact that I can't do everything or be great at everything and also, in the process, get rid of that fear of disappointing other people. And I guess admitting that to myself (on a daily basis if needed) would help me with number three.

3.) Know my priorities.

Freeing myself from the need to be good at everything (or to not fail), would definitely help me prioritize the things I need to accomplish, not just on a daily basis, but also for long-term goals. It would also free me from incessant things I should not be doing anymore or those that could be done better by other people. Develop S.M.A.R.T.-er goals for myself.

4.) Say better Goodbyes, and/or Develop better follow-through.

To those who personally know me, after reading this so far, I think you're probably just now starting to see me in a different light. Well, I'm just at number 4, so i'm pretty sure you're going to see me way more differently after this whole list is over.

A very close friend of mine recently went abroad to work and be with his wife (who's also a good friend of mine). All of us knew that this was coming soon, but indeed God's timing is better than ours, that's why we were all in one way or another prepared to see them go. But then again, I think the litmus test is way after the goodbyes are said and done.

I realized recently that I'm not very good at goodbyes. Looking at my history of goodbyes (whether with school or at work), I'm not particularly adept at saying goodbye and staying in touch. And at 25, I pray that I develop a better skill-set of being a person who knows who are the right people to keep in my life, and the ones that should just play a lesser part in my life.

In terms of developing follow-through, I put this here because I think one reason why I don't keep tabs so much on people in my past or even immediate past, is because of a lack of or poor follow-through on my part. This is one area in my life where I must confess that I really, really need help with. I know I'm great at starting things, but somewhere along the line, my batting average of finishing well and strong falls flat. And now as I'm nearing 25, I know that I will definitely need to kick this one up several notches higher than I normally do.

5.) Finish what I start.

Since I've been dropping honesty bombs all over this post already, I'm gonna end with the biggest one so far. I'm not good at finishing what I start. Like what I had said previously, I've had many, many projects etc., that started out strong and really well, and how do they end up? Fish food I tell you. They take various forms eventually, some see the end, others get sacked along the way, others just vanish into thin air, with me going all: "Huh?". So now that adulthood is here, my dear self, no more going all Houdini on the things you do. Just like God promising to complete all of His creation, I should also strive to finish the things I start. And yes, that includes food I'm eating.