Readers share their New Year resolutions for 2014

Dubai: Gulf News asked readers about their resolutions for 2014 and whether they had managed to fulfill their resolutions from the previous year. Some focused on personal happiness and family, while others looked at building their business or relocating to a new country.

Marvin S., a Philippine national, said: “I wanted to reduce my smoking habit in 2013 but wasn’t able to fulfill it. But for 2014, I want to become a better person for my family and fellow citizens of the UAE. I hope to become a much better husband and a father for my family. I wish to express all my feelings to my wife and love my children even more.

“As new year resolutions, I want to be more affectionate, competitive and a healthy person.”

Ziaul Hoque Rabbany, a Bangladeshi national, is not keen on keeping resolutions but has a few on his plate for the new year. He works as a cabin crew for an airline in the UAE. He said: “I travelled a lot, but in 2014, I would love to visit two more different countries. Also, I hope to get a promotion at work, and try to make my mother happier.”

Achievement was high on the list of 2014 resolutions.

New skills

Swati Suresh, who is a student based in Dubai, said: “For 2013, my resolutions were to reduce weight and learn chess. I managed to reduce my weight slightly and practised chess.

“Presently, I have grown an interest in badminton and would look forward to learn that in 2014 and hope to excel in it. Also, I need to work hard on my studies.”

Areej Joma’a is passionate about her upcoming bakery project. A Lebanese national, who is the owner and head baker of a gluten-free bakery in the UAE, Areej told the newspaper: “My aim for 2013 was to open a new outlet for my bakery. I successfully managed to do that, when my bakery’s outlet was inaugurated in mid-May at a mall in Dubai.

“At present, I am working on a big project, which will take my passion for baking to a much higher scale. My 2014 resolution would be to find success in this project.”

And then there is that one resolution you keep making each year, but never makes it through to the end.

Nirmal Devasurendra, a Sri Lankan national, said: “My resolution would be to try and lose more weight. I had the same resolution in 2013, but every time, I end up eating a lot and it doesn’t work out.

“Also, I have my paper work in line to immigrate to Canada, as I hope to move there soon.”

— The writer is a trainee with Gulf News.