One of my life philosophies is to constantly challenge myself while striving to be the best person I can be. To be able to grow as human being, we must learn to reflect on the past in order to plan for the future. I have learned over the last few years the importance of setting goals as well as reflecting on myself. Discovering and accepting our weaknesses and strengths lead us to become a better person while guiding us in the right direction. I constantly have a personal objective to work for or an event to look forward to, whether it is to train for a race or to plan my next trip. It is my way of keeping me happy, passionate and driven.

This year, I decided to teach my students the importance of reflecting on themselves as well as the value of setting goals. I did this reflecting activity with my classes at the beginning of January: Everyone wrote a list of their achievements and important events of 2017. Then, we envisaged our 2018 year by completing a list of writing prompts. We wrote everything on bits of paper that we posted on the classroom walls; acting as a reminder for the rest of the school year.

I thought about sharing with you my own personal reflections of this activity.

My year 2017 in a nutshell…

1. I ran my first ultra-marathon
2. I got my Advanced scuba diving course
3. I became a vegetarian at home (and I’ve been improving a lot my cooking skills!)
4. I have been meditating on a regular basis (and have introduced this practice in a few of my classes)
5. I learned over 150 Chinese Characters (I am aiming to complete my ‘300 course’ by the end of the year)
6. I attended the Category 2 of the IB Language B workshop in Jakarta
7. I commuted to work by bike (almost) every single day (rain or shine, frost or flood!)
8. I learned how to play rugby and played my first contact game
9. I experienced simplicity, openness and mindfulness at Buddhafield Festival
10. I changed decade!

2017 was… Mind-opening.

A quote that best represents my 2017 year: Surrender to what is, let go of what was, have faith in what will be. -Buddha

Lantau 50 ultramarathon

Finally Advanced Certified!

Buddhafield Festival

In 2018…

• I want to go… on a silent retreat for the first time.
• I want to do more…ultramarathons! Yes, I am hooked.
• I want to do less… shopping. I want to reduce my consumption habits and move towards a minimalist lifestyle.
• I want to read… The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The Beach by Alex Garland and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
• I want to get… a tattoo!
• I want to improve… my endurance. Yup, i want to be able to run for longer.
• I want to change… my eating habits. I’m aiming to become a complete vegetarian by the end of the year! (Thank you to my inspiring sister!)
• I want to learn… how to shuffle (dance) properly!
• I want to be… more present and attentively listen to others. “The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention.”
• I want to imagine… falling in love.

A quote that will represent my 2018 year: Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself. -Oprah Winfrey

2018 will be …. Enriching.