2024 Resolutions: Beyond Cheque Mates and Scaling Your Smile

Ohhihello!

It's a New Year, yay! Welcome to 2024! I am glad you made it and are rooting for you to do something extraordinary this year. But remember to take it slow and be consistent while at it.

It's that time again where many people usually talk about New Year resolutions- and what they would do differently and achieve by the end of the year. 

It's a long read, but follow me therefore, as I enumerate some of the resolutions I have set out for myself. 

* Dental care: Wanna live long? Studies have shown that people who take proper care of their mouths tend to live longer. Taking care of your oral health determines the amount of toxicity and inflammation throughout your body. Caring for the mouth also help in resisting dementia as one ages.                                                                                             

I will advise that you include scaling and polishing in your New Year resolution. Having done this, twice in the previous year, I can attest that it does wonders for the mouth. Plus, other dental hygiene like, flossing, brushing twice daily, using fluoride toothpaste and drinking lots of water should be in you dental care plan. 

                                                        

                                                               

I have a suggestion. By having it done on auspicious days, you can make your scaling and polishing routine more celebratory. Events, such as birthday, Valentine's Day, a promotion or for excelling at something. How about you make it a Valentine's date this year? 

*Investment: Investing has many benefits to it, because it gives you more financial independence. How do I start investing, you may ask. You can start by having a saving plan. The money you have saved can then be used to invest. To start with, invest in low-risk investment and you can up the ante according to your ability or confidence. You can start with such low-risk investment as mutual funds, shares and federal government bonds. And the good thing, you can start with as low as 5,000 (NGN). Well, you can go higher if you wish. Another amazing thing is, you become more interested in the economy and financial health of the country by monitoring stock markets, economic policies, monetary policies and the activities of the company you have invested in. You also get to attend shareholders meeting. And that, my dears is how you build your economics and financial education. Oh! you also get to make connections. This shows that investment does not only help you build wealth, but it also educate you in the short and long run. 

To start with, you can research companies or stockbroking companies to get started. I have a suggestion of one such organisation. Stanbic IBTC bank shares regular updates on investment, such as shares, mutual funds and bonds. They also operate a stockbroking firm. Do look them up or any other financial organisations you know about. And please ask questions to be sure you understand what you are getting into.

Lest I forget, don't be too much in a hurry to want to "cash out". Investment take a bit of time to yield. Remember, start small, but most importantly, start today.

*Learn or teach a skill: Remember that saying "Jack of all trade, master of none"? Well, that is not applicable to this current time. In the time we are in now and the way the world is moving so fast, the more skills you have the higher your chances of survival. In other words, learning a new skill or upskilling is the way of the world and in a way, every new skill you learn, gives your life a meaning. Learning a new skill can be both in academics and non-academics, such as coding, data analysis, sewing, cooking, baking, knitting, researching, experimenting, star-gazing and forecasting, the list are endless. These skills always come in handy, whether in the now or in the future. 

However, to gain mastery of any new skill you learn, it is important to practice what you have learnt or by teaching it. Interestingly, the internet is full of knowledge that you can learn whatever it is you wish to. And if you have a skill to teach, please share your knowledge and experience- this is what drives the world: consumption and production. 

*Volunteering/Peer Knowledge: Someone once said; "what is the essence of your education if you don't share what you have learnt with others?". Think of something you would like to do for free- in your free time- as a way to give back to the society. Volunteering can give a sense of fulfilment, especially when you do it for people who appreciate it and cannot repay you. Albeit, it does not have to be every day or weekly. You can decide to volunteer for a cause during your annual leave, weekends, twice a month or anytime that favors you. The best part, you can do it anywhere. 

You can volunteer to teach the children in your neighbourhood, your church, your workplace. You can even teach your family members something you think they should know.

For peer knowledge, you can gather friends and acquaintance with similar values or experience to learn and share something. For instance, I like reading and have a friend who works in a literacy organisation. I love the opportunity to read and share insights with other people of like minds. It's usually an enlightening experience, each time. Err, there is always refreshments. You can look for AIFA Reading Society on all social media and follow to get regular updates. I saw my pictures in one of their newsletters, haha!

Think about these for New Year Resolution, okay? 

*Exercise /Well-being: Various studies have shown the importance of exercise. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), exercise boosts the bone strength and, by improving balance, cuts the risk of falls. By the way, well-being is a determinant or measurement of economic development. Now you know why WEF is interested in exercise.

There are various ways to care for your well-being, such as:

• Using the staircase instead of the elevator. I didn't say to use the staircase when going to the 20th floor. You know your capability, so go with what you can.

• Walk more to places that are trekkable. It doesn't have to be everyday but on most days, walk the distance for at least for 20-30 minutes. You can do this in the morning before the sun comes out or in the evening when the sun is down. 

• Enrolling for gym sessions is another way to boost your well-being, especially for those who work in a sedentary setting. Usually, most people have reasons for wanting to hit the gym, like staying in shape, lose belly-fat, make their body firm and so on. Whatever, your goal, I think going to the gym helps in relaxation and support, but of course, staying healthy. Some gyms have dance classes for those who like to dance like me. Maybe that's why I'm hitting the gym this year.

• I have found that tennis helps me to be more focus and strategic. This means that I play with every part of my body- including the seen and unseen parts of my body. I think tennis helps one to be shrewd in dealing with other, and so it builds confidence, empathy, camaraderie and individualism. In summary, playing tennis helps to build mental, emotional and physical well-being. It can serve as a catalyst to excel in other fields of human endeavours, ask Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic- read about them. Don't know where to start? I've got you covered. Search for Pitens Academy on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to get started today and thank me later. And oh, tennis starts with love for a reason! Chick magnet and everything in between. LOL. Click  here  to register your interest.

*Make time for loved ones: I know the world is moving at a fast pace these days; what with the "japa" syndrome that is "dividing" families and friends. As such, it can be difficult to have good time with loved ones. And if you have your loved ones close by, make a conscious effort to spend quality time together. I know it is not easy, especially with the way the economy is going now. This is where you plan meticulously in your relationship with others; the time and other commitment that also demands you attention. 

Spending time with loved ones does not necessarily have to be expensive. For someone like me, I like to cook meals for my family, especially on public holidays and set a time to visit the Lagoon Front at University of Lagos to have a picnic with them. It is an opportunity to learn new things about them and say some of the stuff we couldn't say over chats or calls. Being with loved ones doesn't have to be expensive. It's already expensive outside, so look for places or activities that won't require so much spending. That is not say you can do expensive. Oh, you can! After all you only live once, LOL. But have a plan and spend prudently. The central message is to spend time with the people that matters the most.

*Cook your meals: I have found that cooking help me relax, so it's a form of therapy to me. And I get this joy from cooking a hearty meal-for myself or for others. And hey, I've gotten compliments from colleagues at work for making delicious meals. News flash! I cooked the meal at my nephew's child dedication and at his one year birthday *takes a bow*. 

Some of the reasons I prefer to cook my own meals are:

• Cooking opens a wide array of possibilities whereby I can make my meals healthy, control portion of what goes into the food and choose healthier choices in spices and other things. As such, cooking my meals helps me to research more about what I consume and their health benefits.
• In this present economic realities, cooking at home help you save more, especially if you want to cook a super delicious and healthy meal. Sometimes, the amount you use to buy one meal can feed up to three people at home. Think about that. 
• Have you ever been praised or thanked for cooking a hearty meal? That is what cooking does, it creates a kind of connection between people. You can say it is a form of communication that is done to impress loved ones.

Aside being a way of mixing, combining and heating ingredients, cooking is an act of service and a survival skill. So, what are you waiting for? Learn a cooking skill today and wow yourself and loved ones.

Thank you for reading thus far. I have more to say, but these are the realistic goals I know I can achieve. I don't want to over-promise. And if you remember when I started, I said "some of the resolutions" LOL 

I hope you are ready to embrace new opportunities, new challenges, new perspectives in your personal and professional life. I am counting on you to live your best life and am rooting for you to excel.

Please share your New Year resolutions in the comment section, I will like to hear from you.

Happy New Year! All my love.