Dubai: With the changing of the calendar comes the annual impulse to change oneself. And UAE expatriates are no exception.
While the rest of the population have traditional resolutions like wanting to change for the better, lose weight, and save more, there are those who have a “different” to-do list this year.
Gulf News caught up with these expatriates to see how they think they will fare in 2013.
“This year I’ll go skydiving and diving to conquer my fear of heights and fear of dying in the water,” Anna de Leon, 35, a make-up artist and stylist, told Gulf News.
“Try the most outrageous resolution, then the easier ones will become easy for you to do later on. Unless you step out of your comfort zone, you won’t know what you’re really capable of,” she added.
Like de Leon, adventure plans top the list of fresh university graduate Tamar Takelian.
“I have a really long bucket list that I have been accumulating over the last couple of years. My new year resolution is to check 10 things off my list. First in line is skydiving in Palm Dubai, zip lining in Canada and planning a road trip across America,” Takelian, 21, a Canadian expatriate, said.
While most people want to be “nicer” for the New Year, Filipino nurse Jixie has other plans.
“I’d like to be a bit b***** this year,” Jixie, 31, said with a laugh. “On a serious note, I’d be more assertive at work this year and learn how to say ‘no’ because I end up doing overtime work almost every day though I am seven months pregnant,” Jixie added.
For Indian national Hysum Esmail, he’ll change his manner of speaking. “My new year resolution is to speak regular English. I got into the habit of using internet slang so now if something is really funny I say LOL instead of laughing. I feel it makes me sound illiterate so my New Year’s resolution is to stop using internet abbreviations.”
Certified success coach Susan Castle said while anyone can make resolutions any time of the year, making resolutions at the beginning of the year is helpful.
“The new year is a good time to make resolutions because it gives you a momentum boost,” Castle told Gulf News.
In order to fulfil your resolutions for the year, Castle has a couple of suggestions.
“I suggest you stop calling them new year resolutions and instead call them decisions. Decide to cut yourself off of choices, and just do them. If you failed to do your last year’s resolutions, instead of beating yourself up, I suggest you to take the time to reflect and analyse the reasons why you weren’t able to do it,”
Noor Nazzal is a trainee at Gulf News.
