A Year of Living Up to My New Year Resolution

“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.” I don’t quite remember where I saw this line, but it hit me right in the heart. And it was around New Year 2024, I believe.

People talk about the same/similar new resolutions to themselves all the time, but few actually stick to them. So I decided to run an experiment on myself.

For the year 2024—the whole year, yes!—I vigorously tracked my New Year's resolution and kept a weekly tracking blog to stay motivated and ON TRACK. I don't want to go off track any more. I had been off track for so many years, and it started to hurt my own feelings because I disappointed myself too many times. Here, I want to share with you my journey of living up to my 2024 resolutions. I hope it might inspire you—or at least remind you—to start living your resolutions today.

Throughout the year, I ran into challenges, celebrated little wins, and picked up some really valuable lessons about persistence, self-discipline, and personal growth. Every week brought its own experiences—some encouraging, some frustrating—but every single moment shaped my journey. I honestly felt so blessed!

I realized that keeping a public record of my progress didn’t just keep me accountable—it also helped me think more deeply about my resolutions. Some weeks, I felt on top of the world, sticking to my commitments like a champ. Other weeks, I struggled with doubts, setbacks, and the urge to give up. But through it all, I kept going, learning that success isn’t about being perfect—it’s about staying consistent and resilient. It’s like perfect air: not just oxygen, but other essential components that make it crucial for survival.

This book dives deeper into what I shared on my blog, giving more insight into my struggles, the strategies I used to stay on track, and the personal transformations I went through along the way. More importantly, I’m looking back at the journey with fresh eyes. I’ve included reflections I didn’t write about in my weekly posts, giving a fuller picture of my experience. Whether you’re working on your own resolutions or just looking for a bit of inspiration, I hope my journey encourages you to keep going and keep striving toward your goals.

Writing this book gave me the chance to reread all my blogs. People say they want to be writers, but they rarely go back and read what they’ve written. Yep… that’s me! I’m working on breaking this bad habit right now. Another little experiment I’m trying out! Pretty impressive, huh? Lol.

My Journey Started in February

I know what you’re thinking: “Shouldn’t a New Year’s resolution start in January?” But what if January comes and goes, and you still haven’t started? Do you just wait for the next January to roll around? That’s how time gets wasted. For me, I’ve come to believe that if you feel a push—an urge—right now, that’s your moment. You do it. You don’t need a date on the calendar to tell you it’s time to change.

That’s why I started my New Year’s resolution journey in February 2024. There were some really dark days that month that pushed me to a turning point. If I remember correctly, my relationship with my boyfriend hit a rough patch. We were in an international relationship—he was in the U.S., and I was in China. Most of the time, it felt hopeless. I felt hurt, and for some reason, I just couldn’t let it go. But instead of spiraling into that pain, I decided to do something different. I made a decision to do something for myself every single day. That’s how this resolution was born.

And the good news? I think I finally broke through that horrible relationship. I’m enjoying my independent, single life as much as I can.

I kept thinking: What really matters to me?

And my answer came as a kind of trinity—three pillars that I could build my year on. I know that sounds cliché, but three is a good number. It helps break life down into manageable parts. And it gave me a structure to return to when things got messy.

If you’ve read my blog, you already know the three: Books, Miles, and Matters of the Heart.

1. Books:

I want to be a writer. A novelist, actually. That’s why I keep writing—on my blog, in my journal, in scattered notes on my notebook. But I’ve always believed that to be a better writer, I need to read more. Luckily, I love reading. I wouldn’t call myself a book nerd (not in the stereotypical way), but books have always been my thing. When I’m lost, curious, or just want to feel something—books are where I go.

2. Miles:

Ever since 2019, I’ve been a runner. And running truly changed my life. Before that, I’d always been an active Aries, sure—but I didn’t like exercise. Especially not running. But something shifted that year. My nephew was born—a tiny little human. I remember going home to hold him, and after just five or ten minutes, my arms got tired. That moment hit me hard. If I can’t even hold a baby this small, how could I ever become a mom?

I was around thirty then. In China, that’s a high-pressure age to still be single. I do want to have a child of my own one day—someone who looks like me and the person I love. So I started to run. Slowly. At first, just 1KM or 2KM. I was dying each time. I’d run for a week, then rest for two months. That’s how it began.

But in 2023, I ran my first half-marathon. And now, I’ve already completed two full one. I never imagined I’d make it that far. That’s the power of consistency. Change takes time, but it does happen. You just have to keep showing up.

Running gave me energy I never had before. I’ve started biking, swimming (learning!), skateboarding, tennis, trail running with a fun group of people... My life expanded. And it all started with one run. One decision. That’s how growth begins. Not with giant leaps—but with small, persistent steps. Your body strengthens, and so does your mind.

So yes—add movement to your New Year’s resolution. You’ll thank yourself.

3. Matters of the Heart:

At the start of this journey, I considered myself a hopeless romantic. But then I read something that changed my mind: There is no such thing as hopeless romance. And I believe that now. If you can love deeply, if you can hurt deeply—then you’ve been gifted something rare. It means you’re rare.

This part of my resolution was about facing my emotions. Asking hard questions about my relationships. Documenting them, even when it hurts. But along the way, I realized “Matters of the Heart” doesn’t have to be just about romance. It’s also about the things that light you up.

For example—my ukulele. I’ve had it for years, barely played it. But now, I actually enjoy practicing. It doesn’t feel like a chore anymore. I play when I’m bored or sad. I sing. I hear myself. And I feel the excitement grow in me. That’s something!

And like everything else, it didn’t happen overnight. It starts with a click in your brain—but getting to that click takes time. Trust the process.

Conclusion / Reflection

And if you want the full story, you can check my original blog posts. They have all the raw details from each week. For now, I’ll just say: I didn’t tick every box on my resolution list. I didn’t read 50 books. I didn’t run every single mile I promised myself. But by the end of the year, none of that mattered.

People always ask: What’s more important—the journey or the destination?

When you get to the end, you stop asking. You just feel it. You know who you’ve become. You’re proud. And you’re excited for the next chapter.

That’s how I felt. Not like I completed a task. But like I became someone new. A version of myself born out of everything I had lived.

I’ve had this blog site for years, but I never updated it consistently. That changed in 2024. I told myself: “It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just post something. You can revise it later.” And that small shift changed everything. I started working on my site a few hours each week. I stopped forcing myself to make it perfect. I started to love it—flaws and all. And over time, the site got better.

Just like me.

That’s what I’ve learned: Life starts to get better when you stop torturing yourself.

I hope you enjoy this journey. And if you haven’t started your resolution yet—don’t wait. You’re not late. You can start now.

Pick one, two, or three things. Keep it simple. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Start slow. Revise as you go. There’s no perfect plan, no perfect moment. Just choices. And you—being here—are already enough.

You are a wonder. A miracle. And it’s never too late to begin again. Peace!