A New Me in 2022

I am not one for resolutions. Nor am I the type of person who enters writing contests, but as 2021 came to a close and for the first time that I can remember I was struggling to stay awake and not at a party with friends, I realized 2022 might be a different year. This thought was confirmed on January 6, when I turned 35 and I adamantly refused a night out in favor of staying home.

For the past 15 years I’ve been fortunate to enjoy more adventures than the average American. There have been yacht parties with Dan Bilzerian and Playboy Playmates, private movie premiers, overseas adventures with friends, late night escapades and so much more. While these events were extraordinarily fun and made great fodder for conversation, they are no longer desired… as much. Instead, I am trying to challenge myself. At 35, my goal is less about resolutions for 2022, and more about carrying good habits forward beyond this year to ensure that the next 35 years are as good as the first 35.

Resolution Number One: Get Back In Shape!

As a former collegiate athlete, I have always pushed myself physically. In fact, in February 2020 I was in the best shape I had been in since college, but then came the lockdowns. At first, I tried to maintain some aspect of a workout routine, but as the weeks turned into months, I put down those at-home weights and picked up sleeves of Oreos. Now I am pushing myself harder to lose the extra pounds than ever before.

I started the year with a full body-scan to identify percentage of lean muscle versus body fat, and committed to losing 17 pounds (215 to 198) and 10 percent body fat (20 to 10 percent) by February 26. I am proud to say that I am already on my way to hitting these milestones without the use of extreme diets or invasive medical procedures. I watch what I eat but I don’t refuse anything. Instead, I work out in the morning, go on a nice run at lunch and return to the gym for an evening workout to close my day.

Resolution Number Two: Purchase My First Home

I am blessed to have two extremely supportive parents who were willing to support my crazy dream of playing basketball after college. My passion took me to Los Angeles and eventually Canada where I completed my master’s degree and played for the collegiate team, a truly great experience, but as a result I started my career late with student debt.

I’ve been able to pay off my student loans, but only in the past year have I been able to catch up with my peers. Finally, I am financially stable and able to dream of purchasing my first home, which in San Diego is not easy.

While my salary is able to support myself and my girlfriend, I am trying to take on new challenges, business endeavors, and even writing competitions to save enough to buy a home.

In summary, I recognize the resolutions listed above may be deemed as “things that will impress or prove our worth to our peers” but for me, these are the items that make me feel good and are gentle on myself. While journaling or better sleep hygiene might work for others, I am pushing to expand my horizon and take on new challenges that are more difficult. I am confident that the resolutions I have proposed will make me feel better this year and open new doors of opportunities to me in the future.