I did a lot in 2018. I went home to visit my family. I went to Europe for the first time. I did another yoga festival. I created AsanaSeekers. I trained with Tony Sanchez. I wrote a lot more articles. I left my job. I started a podcast. I started teaching more yoga. But most importantly, I managed to survive another long trip around the sun, and I plan to do it again in 2019 despite how hot it continues to get on this planet.
So here are my resolutions for 2019. The things I will do, even if they aren’t perfect, or exactly how I want them to be, or even the least bit good. I will do them.
1 - I will make art again
Every now and then I used to make art, or something I would consider a type of art. I’ve done quite a few small projects, mostly photography based. And while most of them never had more than a handful of viewers, I always enjoyed creating them. For example, years ago I did a short project I called “MASKED.” It was mostly based on street photography I was doing at the time; photos of people wearing surgical masks. I had wanted to do something with the images I was collecting and MASKED ended up being where it went. Although MASKED is hardly exceptional or profound in any artsy kind of way, It was a lot of fun for me to create and gave me a sense of purpose for that photography I had been doing. There is something spiritually therapeutic about the creation of art that is hard to explain, but I know I’d like to do more of it.
2 - I will GROW MY podcast
What that means, of course, is that I will make FROM HERE TO OVER THERE available through Spotify and iTunes by the end of the year. I’m proud of the fact that I’ve mostly stuck with my schedule of releasing a new episode every Friday, and I’ve stuck with my format and effort in spite of the one or two haters out there. The podcast isn’t my effort to make it big, just do something fun and interesting that I care about, and that’s what it will continue to be. No new equipment necessary.
Update Jan 13 2019
My podcast is now available on iTunes and Soundcloud
3 - I will write a short book
That’s right. First a podcast, now a book. The audacity! But that’s what I’m going to do. It may not be the best book, and it may be only a few pages long with VERY large type. I don’t know even know what it will be about so hold your horses with the questions. But hey, I need to check off these boxes before I die, so book it will be!
4 - I will produce the Yoga Festival
It’s going to happen again darn it. We didn’t do all that crazy work just to kill it after a few years. It may need to evolve a bit, but with I help I think we can make it happen again. Look for new updates coming soon on the website.
5 - I will improve my Chinese
For years I was really on my Chinese. When people ask me how I learned I tell them how I would take my textbook to lunch and read it every day, and then meet with a tutor every Friday. I did that for years and years. And then I just stopped. I think I was just tired and needed a break. But that break is over, and I’ll begin to pick it up again.
6 - I will live with my family
I will head home this year and spend a few months living in the same part of the world as my immediate family. In the last 9 years, I’ve been back to the US a total of two times. Each for only a few weeks in total. It’s not a lot of time, and recently I’ve been wishing I could spend some more time there, and with them. So that’s what I’m going to make happen. Somehow, some way.
7 - I will open my shoulders & back
Damn you tight shoulders and back! You hold me back so much in my yoga practice! Although I’ve been practicing yoga for nearly ten years, with at least 5 of those years meaning almost daily practices, I’m still incredibly tight. Maybe I’ll never be as flexible as I wish I was. It just isn’t in everyone’s DNA. But there are some techniques—painful ones—that work, and I’m committed to giving them more time and effort. I just really want a killer wheel pose once and for all damn it!
8 - I will practice the Wim Hoff method
I was literally just lent a book on this, and although I’ve heard of the guy for years I never really knew what his “method” was. It’s pretty simple really. Breathing exercises—something I already do—combined with cold showers—something I fearfully avoid. I’m a hot springs kind of guy. I like warm showers and hot yoga. The idea of taking cold showers goes against everything I love. But, for the sake of science II will give it a mild go.
Update Jan 13 2019
Today I did my very first breathing exercise session followed by a cold shower. The breathing is easy for me as I already practice breathing regularly but the cold showers are torture. As most of you know, I’m a hot springs kind of guy, so the cold thing is really hard for me. But, I did it, and stayed in for one minute.
9 - I will read again
2018 was the year of Netflix and who can blame me. There’s just so much damn-good watching going on in there. But it’s taken me away from the books, and I’m a firm believer in the power of reading to strengthen and expand the mind. And in spite of the power of Netflix, reading is still very popular and there are plenty of great new books coming out all the time! We shall read again!
I’m taking book recommendations BTW.
10 - I will take Miko to the park
Miko will get a trip to a great wild park this year I promise her. She may not like it at first, but I think she’ll appreciate it after a while. This year I attempted to take Miko on many walks, most of which she really hated and told me so with her razor sharp claws. But I just don’t think she’s really seen all that outside life has to offer a cute cat. So we’ll keep working on it! Be sure to follow her on IG