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New Year's Resolution - such a cliché, I know it is.

It's funny how most are making this long list while never really understood why they are doing it and how they are going to do it. It's just a list and that's what it is for them not fully aware that by the term "RESOLUTION" means a firm decision to do or not to do something, at least this is what Google's search page shows.

Unfortunately, most are creating resolutions just for the sake of having one because it is the "TREND". Having a resolution list creates this feeling of being "IN" while the entire world celebrates the new year, everyone else is also making to talk about it and perhaps to "brag" on it.

But don't get me wrong, I did make my own list of New Year's Resolution too before, in fact, it was a kiss and make up kind of game for me. I do it on a year then the next year, I will miss it and then last year, I did a list and I admit, I had forgotten about it until today as I was reminded when @Steemph.cebu made this announcement.

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^{See : Announcing Steemph.cebu New Year Challenge! | What are your Steemit New Year's Resolution? | Make a Post and Win SBDs!}

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I was obliged to read through my own list to remind me. Here's how the list went:

- To Have More Quality Travels

- Spend more Time with Family

- Be more Active in Social Welfare Activities

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^{Read more about this here: Be ready for 2017 - My Resolution List}

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Such a short list and I intend to do it that way so that I won't be pressured with the numbers, in the first place, there are no certain criteria in making those.

But I had to assess myself on the list, did I do well?

I believe I did good with the first two but failed on the third on the list. I had participated in certain activities but never really dealt with sharing my time and efforts in participating the specific activities for the benefit of these social welfare activities.

So guess what? I am adding this again to my 2018 New Year's Resolution list! But before going to the list, let me share with you how my 2017 went. It was a roller coaster full of laughter, pain and most important lessons to learn.

I traveled to different parts of the country. I have this belief that before I should go to other countries, I should learn more about my own first. So this year, my husband and I had gone to:

• Surigao on the first week of January, it was our first trip of the year together with my high school friends, my brother and his wife. We've gone to several attractions such as the Enchanted River, Tinuy-an Falls, Doll House and even the Britania Group of Islands.

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• Tandag and experienced the most stressful time to travel due to a typhoon which hit the province. It was a learning process which I dealt pretty well despite all the stress and pressure.

Video is mine.

• Panglao in Bohol for my husband's birthday treat. As part of my goal to spend more time with family, we treated my parents for a tour in Alona Beach and we went to Henann Resort.

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• Sumilon Island as a heed to an impromptu expedition together with my sister in law. It was fun to finally check this blue water island in the southern part of Cebu.

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• Batad Rice Terraces in Ifugao, this was my top destination this year and we truly enjoyed walking in the thousand years rice terraces. I won't forget the experience and we plan on coming back in the near future.

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• Sagada, Mountain Province. I never thought I would be stepping in Sagada. I know it is a bit of overrated but I love the fact that I experienced a different kind of Sagada feels.

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• Coron, Palawan, my summer was completed when my husband, my brother and his wife flew to Coron. We've been to El Nido and I had high hopes that Coron will also be a beautiful place and we were not disappointed at all.

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• Busuanga, Palawan, my most favorite part of our Palawan travel series because I had walked and fed Giraffes up close and personal! It was like being in a mini safari.

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• Bantayan Island, this happened after the third quarter of the year, just right when I had already recovered from my Ectopic Pregnancy operation. It was nice to be back on this island just with my husband. We went to Ogtong Cave during that time.

But the year was not just all about our travels as a couple. The best and worst thing that had occurred to us on that year was learning that I was pregnant only for two weeks and losing it when I was six weeks pregnant due to ectopic pregnancy. I spent almost a week in the hospital, everything happened in an instant, that I lost the baby we both had wanted to have.

I have to learn again how to listen to my body, to forgive myself and let go of the pain.

Get Ready For 2018 - My New Year's Resolution List

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With just hours before 2018, I am glad to share with the Steemit community my own list of resolutions and the action that I am going to do to fulfill this. I will surely make it a conscious effort to act in accordance with my aims and goals.

1. Be more Active in Social Welfare Activities

I placed this on top of the list because it was something which I was not able to perform well this year.

The year 2017 bids goodbye and yet I had only a few of these activities done so this year, I surely make it a point to join more.

• SAVETHECHILDREN

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The annual sustenance was supposed to end in October this year, I am glad that we were able to finish it to the end but we didn't call to cancel it. My husband and I had agreed to continue in this effort this year.

• UNICEF

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Similar with savethechildren organization, I am looking forward to sharing my monthly blessing as well to this organization to help children all over the world especially in the Philippines for their betterment.

• STEEMITPH.CEBU HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES

My own video compiled during the event.

After learning about Steemit, I bumped into this group of steemians who are really into organizing events to help Cebuanos have better lives and I surely enjoyed the first activity which I joined a few weeks ago. I will surely make it a point to join future activities as well.

These are just some of those humanitarian organizations which I will be focusing, but this will be flexible to welcome anything that will come in the way.

2. To keep a healthy diet and deal with my weight.

Later this year, I had figured out how to lose my weight but stopped it a bit due to the holiday season. I know I was on the right track as I saw the results.

By 2018, I will focus on it and strive to achieve the weight goal through the following:

• HIGH FIBER DIET

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The past three months, I found the high fiber diet to work for me. I only eat rice for breakfast but that was also seldom and would only eat salads made of cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, nuts such as almonds or cashew, raisins, chia seeds and sometimes I add cheese with my olive oil, honey and lemon dressing. This year, I plan on learning more salad dressings.

• 3-5 EXERCISES PER WEEK

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I don't go to the gym but I do my own personal exercises through the use of YouTube at home. This year, I will go back to these exercises and make sure to do 3-5 times a week. These exercises definitely helped me this year for only a few months, most of my friends and family had seen the changes in my body.

• RETURNING TO PESCETARIANISM

Another thing that I had done before was to be a Pescetarian. It is a specific lifestyle of eating nothing but vegetables, fruits, grains, fish, and eggs. This means me not eating any other meat such as chicken, pork or beef. Avoiding these will surely help my health and my diet goals. Before I came back to the Philippines, I had developed a skin issue in Dubai and I dealt it with becoming a Pescetarian. I have to do well again this year and get back to it.

3. Get back to Art Hobby

Working full time is really taking a huge part of my day, although I know I could insert it to my daily routine, I had been having a hard time this year but I do believe I can make it again by next year.

• JOURNAL EARLY MORNING

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Journaling was really a help for me as it creates a psychological effect on me to organize my activities throughout the day. To do journals daily, I should wake up early too. Together with journaling, I will be able to also read inspirational books and bible verses daily.

• CALLIGRAPHY AT LEAST 3 TIMES PER WEEK

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Another hobby I had been very dedicated before was calligraphy. I want to be more consistent this 2018 and fill out my notebooks with quotes with calligraphy styles and lettering.

4. BE MORE ACTIVE ON STEEMIT

• IMPROVE WRITING SKILLS

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I always get this mental block whenever I open steemit and I felt like the articles made by other steemians are more interesting that it discourages me at some point. However, I believe that I also need to work hard and make more valuable blog entries. So I will make more articles this year, improving my writing skills will come together with repetition as what a certain inspirational speaker says before.

• COMMENT MORE, UPVOTE MORE

One of the things that I am having a hard time with steemit is the commenting and upvoting. I post some articles and I sometimes leave it. This year, I aim to read more than 20 articles or posts per day and comment on them. Most specially, learn more about the platform and help other minnows too!

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That's it. So help me God!

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