This blog entered a new phase during 2019. I started writing in English and the first post was the new year’s resolutions. Like I did with the previous years, now it’s time to review the goals I set up for myself and evaluate them. I should say that on one side I’m happy because I achieved most of the main goals; however, I did add quite a lot of “side quests” that I miserably failed at. But from failures one learns, for next year’s resolutions I intend to amend the mistakes and build a better resolutions list.

Professional

  1. Improve my presentation skills: I did improve. I kept going to the toastmasters where I’ve seen awesome people. I gained on presenting confidence. I did also realize that I require some proper practicing and deeper thinking while preparing the presentation because people will challange my ideas.
  2. Improve my writing dexterity: I’ve started doing paper writing and joined some very good english writing courses. I still feel a little weak on the punctuation but overall I improved.
  3. Start a business: I did a weak start and tried to implement a recurring party event. The first time went great, I got everyone on board. Despite me not being pushy it worked quite well the first time. The second event I got less people on board for various reasons and it lost a lot of steam. I came to realize how important are collaborations. I’m glad I tried, now I saw what I should improve. The most important is that I should be more “salesy”.
  4. Keep high standards for my inputs and output: I started and maintined quite strong vision for this. Towards the end of the year, when my workload decreased I lost focus and half returned to my previous habits.
  5. Get back to German: Miserably failed. I did and continue to watch some things in german, but it is passive only.
  6. Write a machine learning book: Failed at it. This approach did not work although the idea was not bad. I do not discard the idea for a further future.

Personal

  1. Improving my swimming crawling technique: I became quite fit on swimming. I learned to do open water swimming. I’m quite happy about it.
  2. Boost my weight lifting fitness: I became quite good at it, but because a change on the gym policies I stopped going there. I consider it accomplished.
  3. Improve my running: I run a half marathon with little preparation on 1h 57min. Not bad. I also increased my short distance running speed.
  4. Meditation: Started strong, abandon it, but started again at the end. I’ll give it a pass
  5. Read at least twelve books: I did! Although not all the ones that I proposed here.
  6. Keep cooking most of my meals and keep learning a recipe every month. I did cook most of my meals and I learned new and interesting recepies. Even though it was not my goal, I managed to start a cake club at work.

Extra resolutions

  1. Polish my salsa competence. Failed, I did not join any class and I could have went to more socials…
  2. Improve my tango I simply never went back.
  3. Visit a new country that I haven’t been yet. I give this one a pass because now in January I’m going to Australia and Oceania for four months! :D.
  4. Improve my self discipline. Interestingly I managed, although there is always room for improvement. The best thing I did was to sleep when I did not feel like doing anything.
  5. Go through one day on the weekend without technology. I mostly managed and I’m happy about it. It was not completely without IT but I kept the PC away.
  6. Improve my interpersonal skills by arguing more often. Even though I managed to get incredible things, I do not consider them negotiation or at least it was not what I had in mind for these lines.

12 months 12 challenges

  1. Free hugs: Failed…
  2. Cycle using a fat bike: Failed…
  3. Use a snowmobile: Failed…
  4. Use a jet ski: Failed…
  5. Brew my own beer: Failed… (but I have a kit to start practicing)
  6. Make my own wine: Failed…
  7. Do hang gliding: Failed… (but I have a voucher)
  8. Do paragliding: Failed…
  9. Go with dog sledding: Failed…
  10. Get a tattoo: Failed…
  11. Bungee jumping: Failed…
  12. Dye my hair in electric blue: Managed! Everyone liked it and was excited. I also liked it but it requires too much maintanance..