New Year’s Resolutions for 2022: Growth Through Uncertainty

“You have been assigned this mountain so that you can show others it can be moved.”― Mel Robbins

And just like that, another year almost ends with great opportunity and high uncertainty going into next year.

So some BIG news...I'm starting a new role as senior PR specialist! I am very excited to take my digital expertises into public relations and build integrated PR campaigns. I'm grateful for all of the support, mentorship and encouragement along the way.  

Amid the rises and falls of society, industries, or relationships, nothing is more important to build your own foundation for growth.

When you stop growing you start dying.

Earlier in my career, I focused on analytics and digital marketing. Numbers, coding, spreadsheets are easy to crack. I would have never volunteered to work on PR. It was when someone else saw the potential before I did, and they wanted to give me the opportunity to grow faster.

Over the past year I realized growth happens but quietly, with baby steps. I've read dozens of non-fiction, taken online courses and attended dozens of webinars. The skills and habits you embody can be small daily routines but step by step, over time, they build your character .

My resolutions come from personal experiments on what works best for a young marketing/PR professional, but hopefully, at least one idea brings some inspirations to you.

𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵

1. Exercise Often – I have been trying to hit the gym every other day but mostly at night due to my busy schedules.  Hope to start working out in early mornings to wake up so I may feel more energized throughout the day. I need to create a pattern that works better for me.
2. Sleep More – Getting less than 6 hours limits performance and wastes time by working exhaustively. I'm better, but not there yet.
3. Eat Healthy - Cutting back carbs is difficult. I hope drinking water could help suppressing cravings. In 2022, I will start using my 1-gallon water bottle every day.
4. Supplements Or Not - Do I really need Vitamin C, probiotics, B Complex,...? I'll visit a nutritionist in 2022 to look at my diet holistically.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆

1. Priorities- Everyone is talking about setting priorities or boundaries. But I always find difficulty in saying NO to others. Planning my day the night before and reflecting my week on Sundays. Calibrating my limited time to focus on my priorities.
2. Focus – Periods to concentrate on projects and digest new & challenging knowledge are critical. While buried down by PR requests and back-to-back meetings, I've gotten better at blocking communication and then pushing my own efforts.
3. Think Fast & Slow - Balancing immediate responses and thoughtful replies. When I'm not sure of my delivery, I draft a response and then sleep on it.
4. Be Friendly - Showing more compliments and gratitude to colleagues. Trust is the foundation of teamwork.

𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵

1. Meditation– Meditating 10 minutes per day at least. Most days, I'm still really bad at this, but do enjoy moments of increasing self-awareness and improved concentration.
2. News Fast – 2021 has been disheartening to most Chinese people in the states from geopolitical tensions to anti-Asian hate. Avoiding the largely negative, polarizing news stories would have been a true gift to me. In 2022, I will get rid of most social media platforms, publications, blogs, and only pay attention to the critical or work-related ones.
3. High Hope– Remember this: “If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best, eventually you will find you are ready for greater challenges.” – Pat Riley
4. Forgive More – Everyone makes mistakes, even your loved ones. That said, forgiveness simply means choosing to let go of your OWN anger, hurt, and desire for vengeance.  This puts stress in context and refocuses on what I need now.

As the year draws to a close, I wish you a happy holiday season! I can’t wait to see what new growth points come to life next year. The future is unknown, so is your potential.