Many people use the end of the year to reflect on what they could have done differently to transform their lives. And as the New Year approaches, they resolve to make changes to improve their lives or to accomplish certain goals. Stabroek News spoke to some successful people who were willing to share their New Year’s resolutions/tips with us:
Nisa Walker, CEO/exotic chef at Oasis Cafe,
“In the New Year, I resolve to make time for my physical and mental health by eating right, exercising, meditating and relaxing more. I also intend to be a better listener and to be more aware of other people’s feelings and emotions and to spend more time with family.
De-cluttering and organizing are also on the list of changes I’d like to make. I would also acknowledge and appreciate the little things every day and strive to be more confident and conscientious. Traveling is one of my biggest hobbies and my husband, Will and I love to explore new places each year. This year, we would like to do even more traveling. I would strive to immerse myself in different cultures while nurturing true friendship, fostering gratitude and spreading kindness. Being at Oasis Cafe has definitely increased my love for trying out new dishes and this year, I plan to cook something new each week. Most of all, I resolve to love myself unconditionally, channel my inner child, play more and laugh more.”
Vishnu Doerga, CEO – ActionINVEST Caribbean Inc.
“Whilst there are many areas that require resolutions for guidance, I will touch on four key ones here namely body, mind, spirit and purpose.
Body: Being a 19-year-old with 2 decades of life experience, I have realized that this body is the only vehicle I am granted for this lifetime. As healthcare and technology keeps improving, it is not a far stretch to understand that with good care most persons my age will actually get to 100 years. How we get to live our final years depends heavily on how we take care of our bodies now. Getting an annual check up is ideal to ensure all is well. However, a target weight is usually an easy way in which you can keep yourself on track. My ideal weight is 170 pounds and I maintain this by eating healthy (more fresh foods/less rice/less sugary & fried food) and exercising regularly (3 times per week for 1 hour both cardio and strength). My 2020 Body resolution is to maintain my eating and exercise routines that my 90-year-old self, if I am granted that time, will thank me for in the future.
Mind: You cannot give what you do not have. One of the items on my bucket list before I hit 40 was to complete my Ph.D. in Strategic Management specializing in Entrepreneurship which I did earlier this year. Going this deep into a subject taught me three key things, 1. How unbelievably much there is to know about a single subject, 2. How much is there to know that I do not know as yet or ever and 3. How much respect I have for others who become the best at what they do. My 2020 Mind resolution is to continue learning and practicing the knowledge to benefit myself, my inner circle, my country and the world. The way I plan to do this is by attending at least four educational conferences per year and by completing relevant online certificate courses that continuously sharpen my saw.
Spirit: There is so much we do not understand. In our noisy world it can be almost impossible to connect with your divine energy, which people call God and a multitude of other names. I call it energy since that is the way it feels to me when I practice feeding my spirit. In the beginning it felt like an electric bubble contained within my body that allowed me to control and influence myself well. As I continue to learn how to master this energy, I can now feel my electric bubble extend far beyond my body, I can also feel other people’s energy and affect them positively. My 2020 Spirit resolution is to allocate at least one hour per day to developing a better understanding and mastery of my energy by blocking out external and internal distractions and listening to the vibrations created by (all) energy.
Purpose: It is said that the two most important days in someone’s life are the day they were born and the day they discover why. I have realized that there are quite a lot of important days between those two days and even more impactful days after discovering why. I equate purpose with the need for self-actualization and understand that every human being progresses through serving their basic, security, belonging and recognition needs before addressing the self-actualization need. I believe that my purpose is to lead myself and others to better lives through providing knowledge, practicing skills and developing abilities that deliver value. The more I equip myself, the better and larger I lead. As I look around, I see a deficit of transformational leaders. This is not a vocation that is taught in our schools or that many study and practice in their leadership roles.
The capacity and abilities that are required to transform Guyana are present in those that have prepared themselves and have delivered results in their respective fields, regardless of the ways we currently label them. My 2020 Purpose resolution is to find more ways to inspire and influence others to develop higher levels of self-respect and respect for their fellow human beings.
Guyana is a Paradise which has been trampled upon and aborted by many Guyanese. When we respect ourselves, our fellow citizens and our Guyana, when we deserve Paradise, Guyana will release its riches to us, until then, work daily on getting better.
Eldon Marks, Founder/CEO of V75 Incorporated,
“My 2020 goals for positive personal and professional change include replacing self-rejection with self-acceptance. I used to rely on being hard on myself as a way to maintain a particular standard. I’ve recently had my eyes opened to the fact that it is really a form of going against your true self which can lead to excessively judging and blaming yourself for just about anything. For 2020, I intend to practice more self-acceptance through which I readily forgive myself if I make mistakes, trust my intuition and get out of my own way for easier for self-discovery and personal growth.
Also, I would not take things personally. If there is anything that people have an abundance of, it’s opinions. I’ve come to learn that these opinions, while they may seem to relate to you in some way, are more of a reflection of the people that share them. For 2020, I intend to acknowledge the opinions of others but leave them out of the equation when defining who I truly am. As part of my resolutions also, I would be making no assumptions. I’m a big picture, conceptual thinker by nature who doesn’t pay attention to as much detail as I should. To compensate for my preferred bird’s-eye view on things, I usually find myself making quite a few assumptions in my day-to-day activities. I’ve found that I sometimes get lucky, but for the most part, particularly when dealing with other people, making assumptions translates to building destructive expectations – after some time you’ll believe that your assumptions are true to your own detriment. For 2020, I intend to make no assumptions, particularly about other people.
I also resolve to connect more with people. I’m introverted, which means that I don’t prefer to socialize as much. I am also a social entrepreneur at the helm of a tech company with a vibrant team. This means that regardless of what I believe myself to be, I must wear the many “hats” I’ve come to own to the best of my ability. For 2020, I intend to connect more with others to be a better manager, a better networker, a better conversationalist to random strangers at the airport, and of course a better friend to those who may or may not receive my annual WhatsApp check-ins.”
Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran, CEO of Gurchuran Investments/MD Girls in Tech – Guyana,
“Instead of a resolution I intend to start a revolution! (Not the violent type of course!) Over the past year, my husband and I have laid the foundation for several initiatives to promote youth entrepreneurship and opportunities for women in technology. We have worked with some phenomenal women on the board of Girls in Tech- Guyana and look forward to continuing to attract more women and men who want to see inclusivity and diversity as well as the empowerment of women (half our population) on the agenda for national development.
Definitely nurturing my family and focusing on our health is also paramount. Improving the quality and delivery of our products and services through Java Coffee Bar, is very important to me, as we continue to compete with the influx of foreign chains in our developing economy.
I know 2020 will be challenging, but that is because I choose not to be stagnant, so I embrace what comes with positivity and faith, that I am here, in this time, in this place to make a positive impact in the country I love.”
Dr. Rosh Khan, MD
Director, SocialRank Media
President, The Masterclass Institute
Lead Facilitator, FranklinCovey Guyana
“For 2020, my New Year’s Resolutions includes the following: 1) Focusing on growth personally and professionally. Having graduated with a Medical Degree several years ago, I will resume my academic pursuits. 2) Increasing my level of impact in Guyana. Knowledge acquisition will evolve into knowledge implementation. The key goal for me this year will be to create an educational and business impact in each of Guyana’s 10 regions through youth mentorship, coaching, and on-going support. 3) Investing in my team and company’s growth. We cannot help to grow and nurture future leaders if we ourselves are not sharpening our own skills. My company’s goal is to impact 20,000 Guyanese. 4) Spending more quality time with family, friends, and loved ones. As busy as life gets, I will make the time to slow down, reflect, and enjoy the special moments with those close to me. 5) Focusing on my own fitness and health. I will place intentional focus on eating smart and exercising effectively. As Ralph Emerson said, ‘The first wealth is health’.”
Anije Lambert, Founder/ Director of Projects, Project Development Consultancy,
“As much as I love the New Year’s celebration, I was never a strong believer in the resolution aspect of the New Year customs. As one Forbes article puts it, 80% percent of individuals fail their New Year’s resolutions before the month of February, while only 8% of individuals follow through on their resolutions (Forbes, 2018). In another study by the global gaming authority, with 4000 respondents from the US and UK – shows that the primary reason for resolutions was individuals’ desire to improve the quality of life (Higgins, 2017). As I continued reviewing the report it showed that nearly fifty percent of resolutions were based on healthy eating and exercise. Surprisingly, only 14% focused on saving money and 6% wanted to get better at organizing.
So If I’m not a fan of resolutions, what is my alternative? I’ve substituted New Year’s resolutions with goal setting as I move along in life. My goals are no longer dependent on January 1st but rather on my constant desire for change and improvement. These goals are written, and are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely). Given we are entering into a new decade, I too am interested in the improvement in the quality of my life.
Therefore my areas of focus for the upcoming year are as follows: mental, physical and spiritual development, building stronger family relationships, additional streams of income (I believe everyone should have at least four). I want to implement Caribbean Market Research Initiatives to continue my pursuit of knowledge through reading and training.
As you set SMART Goals for the various areas you are seeking to improve, remember to constantly monitor, review, and adapt. Change happens, it’s inevitable. However when the unexpected comes, your strength lies in your ability to adapt and refocus.”
