It is the end of 2014 and 2015 is soon to start. We usually try to make some New Year’s resolutions to improve our lives in the coming year. It is not surprising that we don’t often keep our resolutions, probably because we do not actually want to make these changes. For a New Year’s resolution to succeed, we need to believe that we can achieve them, and want to achieve them. And they need to add meaning to your life.
Here are some New Year’s resolutions that will add some meaning to your life…
1. Come out as gay
If you haven’t come out yet, make it your mission this year to do so. There is no reason to live with the burden of a secret for another year. Sure, there are some bad things that can happen: you may be rejected by some friends or family. While I acknowledge that those are truly devastating things, you must also try to see the good things that can happen when you come out. It is a real relief, trust me!
2. Ditch Grindr and similar apps
Face it, these apps don’t really add much meaning to your life, do they? You might get lucky by using them, but how do you feel the next morning? You probably don’t feel too good about yourself. So hit the uninstall button, and try some traditional dating methods. You can read my blog post about ways to make gay friends and meet people for some tips.
3. Do some volunteer work
The best way to feel good and to help others is to volunteer. There are many opportunities that depend on your interests. Perhaps you could teach Maths or English at an underprivileged school. Or you could help out at a gay shelter. Or even help the environment by cleaning the beaches of litter. You will hopefully meet some great people who share a common interest with you!
4. Meet up with an old friend
We all have a couple of friends that we only contact once a year when Facebook reminds us about their birthday. We know we should do better. Take this opportunity to contact them… invite them for coffee or a drink. You will both be better off, and may learn a thing or two about yourself when you are catching up.
5. Take control of your life
You are the master of your own destiny. You owe the world nothing, and the world owes you nothing. You must realise that you are more powerful than you think. You can direct your life to where you want to go. Start by setting goals for the week, then the month, year, and the next 5 years. If you have to decide between two things in your life, evaluate your decision against your goals. You will be surprised at how much satisfaction you get by going one step closer to a goal.
6. Clean out your closet (literally and figuratively)
The new year may be a great time to do a spring clean. You can start by cleaning out the junk in your house. If you haven’t used it in 2 years, chuck it.
Then you can say goodbye to the people who are negative in your life. If they do not add more positive things in your life than negative things, they are taking something away from you. Everyone you keep close should be adding value to your life, just as you should be adding value to their life.
Let me know if you will be making any of these New Year’s Resolutions?