Twelve (12) Resolutions for 2012

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Drawing on the sand

Updated 12th Februrary, 2012

Thanks for your suggestions, I’ve finally updated #12. X X X

  1. Treat myself with true & honest kindness – including the occasional manicure and pedicure. And also continue to swim, run, sleep and most of all eat right. Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth has shown me why this is important.
  2. Travel. See Nigeria and Africa (Gabon. Cameroun, Sierra Leone and The Gambia are top on my list) and if possible add a trip to New York. It’s also part of #1.
  3. Write two books. One book on Nigerian cuisine which I would love to be crowd-sourced from the ‘Cook Naija’ monthly get together I’ll ‘launch’ soon. The other book is a toss between a cookbook and a photo book of Africa. Time will tell which.
  4. Create a portfolio/start an image gallery for my photographs (if you know how to go about this with some ease, please let me know!)
  5. Be more respectful of people, especially my children. Half of the world’s problems as I see it are based on a fundamental lack of human respect. I will not knowingly contribute to this.
  6. Sew.
  7. Paint. In watercolours.
  8. Make a gingerbread house. In February. Or at Easter. Whatever happens, before Christmas 2012!
  9. Finish my writing course….which I began in 2010…..
  10. Read. Everything that catches my fancy. Road signs, patterned toilet paper. News. The Real Simple Magazine. Books. African authors. You.
  11. Do something for less-fortunate women. Have a bake sale. Organise an event. But do something. To help women somewhere.
  12. Embrace the unexpected, be married to amazement and take it easy

Are you one for resolutions? Any of your own to share? Excitedly waiting.

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Sunset on the water

 [wpurp-searchable-recipe]Twelve (12) Resolutions for 2012 – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]

41 Comments

  1. Melanie here! I enjoyed this piece, please email me–I have a question about your blog. MelanieLBowen[at]gmail[dot]com

  2. These are wonderful resolutions. I would love to get my hands on your cookbook, good luck! I know you will accomplish every item on your list!! I want to focus on taking time to enjoy the quiet this year.

  3. This is a very nice list of resolutions :).

    I am not one for New Year Resolutions, as I throw them in the wind by the time the first two weeks are over. (‘Exercise’ was this year’s!)

    But life has taught me (actually its my husband who taught me) to be more patient and more respectful to everyone (your #5). So that is my resolution and I have been bringing it in everyday, every minute of my life. Just that few minutes of thinking before getting worked up, even if my son drops his dinner on the floor twice in twenty minutes!

    • :-). Understand dropped dinners. They happen so often these days (I have 3 kids!). Exercise is still possible….don’t give it up just yet. Keep planning, one day it will work out. Thanks.

    • Thanks for your suggestions Sarah and have a great 2012. You could do a local cookbook with ease. Write a recipe a day…….or every other day and in no time, you’ll have a stash to make a selection from. Lots of love

  4. Happy New Year friends. Everything Good will come in 2012 – I’m convinced of it.

    I am very much a list/resolution person. In 2001, I wrote a list of things I wanted to accomplish and I was shocked that at the end of the year, I had accomplished everything I had on the list.

    I believe that writing things down is acknowledging that I am ready to do them…..and also it makes me accountable.

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me!

  5. I’ve never been one for resolutions, nor a concrete timeline for achieving milestones – life has taught me that some things occur fluidly and that pushing any issue will only create frustration. I do, of course, have goals that I’d like to achieve in the longterm and more immediate timeframes, but what happens happens really.

    I like how you’ve made it a priority to focus on yourself. So often as a mother, a wife, and simply a woman, we forget to do this. A very happy New Year to you, Oz!

    • Mademoiselle D – well said. I won’t push too hard – these resolutions are a guide and a reminder, ever present that I hope will inspire me to accomplish those things that are uppermost in my mind. Stay well and best wishes for 2012.

  6. Such amazing goals Oz. I really like #1. As women and mothers, a lot of times we forget to look after ourselves, and when we do, we sometimes feel guilty about it (I know I do, which is very silly!). Hope you achieve all you set out to achieve this year, you go girl!

    • Valerie dear – I have a bucket list which captures my ‘long-term’ desires……that’s probably the one you’re referring to as I wasn’t of strong resolve last year:-)! To be honest though, I’ve accomplished a lot on that bucket list so am thrilled. Lots of love

  7. I’m not one for resolutions, but I did make one this year “to be happy and healthy”. I think that covers everything 😉 I am sure you will accomplish much this year!

  8. Happy New Year and good luck with your list. My resolution is not to make long lists because I find them really daunting, get caught with fear like a rabbit in the headlights and then don’t do as much! That clearly doesn’t apply to you – in fact your list has inspired me in many ways (but not sewing!). I think you should leave number 12 to be vague….something like ’embrace the unexpected’! Really like and agree with point 5.

    • :-). Clearly….I have been in the headlights so many times, I am immune! I gave it some thought, realising that unless I make a public declaration…I am likely to be uninspired to take the bull/grab some horns. I like ’embrace the unexpected’…very much. I feel resonance, have a great year

  9. I love hearing about other people’s resolutions for the New Year. I can’t wait to read and buy both of your books…I’m also working on two books right now. I hope to have rough drafts of both done by next December. Thank you for sharing, my friend!

  10. Definite;y when you accomplish #2 and come to New York, please make time for a visit with me for girl talk, food and all around a good time. I would be a pleasure meeting you.

    #11…when I left the corporate world, I donated all my clothing to the Providence House. They help women who have had hard times get out in the world and get jobs.

    I know that you will accomplish all your goals.

  11. My most sincere wishes are that you accomplish all your resolutions, many of them, or the ones that mean the most to you. In any case what counts is that you feel satisfied with the overall outcome and that is what I hope you find on this new year and the ones to come. All the very best…!

  12. I love what you write, how you can explain how you see yourself, how you see the world, showing how you see the world with your pictures. Make a resolution to keep doing what you are doing…believing in yourself, your family, the people around. Keep growing, loving, keeping your eyes open. You are so amazing! I miss you!! xx

  13. Wow that is a very impressive list. I never really made big resolutions except the very obvious and common ones like eat healthier, lose weight etc. Somehow they would make me feel disappointed because I could never keep it up. Two years ago I did for the first time an on line course which was about dreaming BIG and that is when I discovered the use of “the word of the year”, which is like a tool to help and guide me through the year. Last year my word was respect and this year it is unfold. It can be interpreted in many different ways and that is what I like about it.
    As for a 12th resolution…I couldn’t think of one except maybe: “post many photographs and recipes on blog” -and that is because I really like your blog
    Many greetings Frieda

    • I love the ‘word for the year’. Wow. Respect is a big thing and ‘unfold’ is even bigger – I couldn’t agree more. I will do my very best to post many photos and recipes….Thank you dear.

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