Singer, actress, fashion designer, entrepreneur, writer, and mom of two Thalía shares her parenting, lifestyle, fashion, and beauty tips as a POPSUGAR Latina contributor.
For some reason, we always think that we can postpone things and we have all the time in the world to live our lives. We create lists and make long-term plans to visit a number of places, deal with certain situations, find time for vacations, or search for a partner, and, unfortunately, we push them aside for so long they almost never materialize — we keep on planning for the future instead of the now.
It's great to make plans for years to come, but let's start by setting short-term goals for ourselves and making a bucket list that can be attainable. This is my list of things to do in 2016 — I am hoping it will serve as a guide for yours, too. I am not sure if I will be able to make all of my projects happen, but the beauty is in giving it your best shot!
1. Travel more with my body than with my eyes...
What I mean is that we spend so much time traveling by looking at photographs on social media that we have become accustomed to the idea of visiting faraway places, virgin beaches, majestic jungles, vast deserts, and amazing mountains in photos and not in person. Every day we see so many wonderful photos that have been altered with so many filters and applications, and we are missing out on experiencing the places in real time and with real experiences.
May this year be the one that allows us to travel to visit those places that we have always dreamt of. Let’s start with one! There are many companies that offer excellent travel packages online with affordable rates. Do your research, save for the trip, and make it happen! This is the year when you choose to become a 3D traveler instead of a mobile-phone traveler!
2. And do it big!
This year, I will try my best to finally gift myself with a few days in one of my favorite places on earth. Thinking of Alaska or Machu Picchu. I have always wanted to visit Machu Picchu in Peru for its geography, wondrous history, beauty, grandiosity, and spiritual essence. I truly hope I can make it there in 2016. I also would love to bring my children to Alaska, so they can enjoy its magnificent landscapes; see the glaciers, polar bears, seals, and sea lions; and get to know the locals, their culture, and their gastronomy. Plus, being in that cold weather will give me another reason to cuddle them nonstop.
3. Overhaul the temple.
Our temple is our body. In it we will spend the rest of our lives! Therefore, we need to get to know it 100 percent and overhaul each structure and corner of it. It all starts with finding time to visit our physician of choice to get a thorough physical to assess our health and find out if there are any specific issues that need to be tackled right away. Without our health, we have nothing! Make sure to make it a priority throughout the New Year. I am definitely working on this ASAP.
4. Train your monkey.
We all have a mind that sometimes acts up like a monkey. It is mischievous, jumps from side to side, can't stay still, sometimes doesn't sleep, and is always going around and around the same subject in the same place. It does not stop! We have to train and calm that little monkey we call our mind with time and dedication.
It is imperative to seek mental serenity and search for silent and meditative spaces so our bodies can heal and get revitalized. The stress of having a mind full of problems and the habit of going around the same tribulations in our heads, without being able to find solutions for them, drain the energy out of our immune systems, causing, as a result, exhaustion, insomnia, and even depression.
An attainable goal to tackle these issues is to start spending five minutes every day sitting in silence, in a peaceful place. There, we can let our thoughts pass by like clouds in front of us without making any judgments and without trying to fix all of our problems. Trying to let go of the overwhelming thoughts cluttering our minds will help us relax and tame down the jumpy monkey.
5. Laugh more, cry less.
I want to laugh around the clock this year... I already cried enough on the day I was born! Life is not easy and it gets progressively harder. Hence, it is important to maintain a positive attitude and surround ourselves with people who can laugh and enjoy life with us.
Laughter is one of the best therapies for human beings. It lowers our blood pressure, boosts the immune system, triggers the production of feel-good endorphins, and can even prevent heart disease. My opinion is that laughter is the medicine of the future. If you are going to watch TV, watch something funny, read books that make you smile, listen to music that makes you dance, and let’s surround ourselves at work, at school, etc. with people who enjoy life and make us laugh. Laughing will even help us feel and look younger!
6. Become a sculptor.
Why not try something completely foreign to us? Let’s go to a painting, baking, or sculpting class; attend a chocolate-making workshop; or grow a tomato garden in the backyard. Plan on helping the kids put up a Summer lemonade stand and learn to cook dishes from different countries.
Doing things that take us out of our comfort level wakes us to new experiences and gives us a new outlook on life. Learning and focusing on new activities helps our brains develop new connections so we can stay sharp and alert. Let's become the sculptors of our new adventures. We have nothing to lose!
7. Dance the night away.
Some great tango, hip-hop, or salsa lessons are not a bad idea! Moving our bodies in an environment filled with energy, sound, instructions, laughs, and music adds some much-needed positive energy to our busy lives.
Let's find time to escape and dance away from our everyday lives every once in a while. When we dance, our minds and bodies get an amazing bolt of energy. Plus, we will sweat and tone our bodies while we are at it. Sounds great to me.
8. Go Broadway.
I am adamant about fulfilling my goal of going to every Broadway show currently playing in NYC... comedies, dramas, musicals, off Broadway, all of them! It will be such a treat to be able to soak in all of the creativity and emotional and fantastical worlds of the writers, producers, actors, choreographers, and stage designers! To me, Broadway is a magical world designed to take us to a virtual reality in which we can dream for a few hours and leave the theater levitating with joy.
9. Collect more retro music, baby!
The music from my childhood is calling me. I am ready to start playing my vinyl records nonstop! I just ordered a special set of turntables with a high-quality needle to play the LPs that I still keep from when I was a kid.
The "rite" of removing the vinyl record from its cardboard sleeve, its unique smell, cleaning it, and making sure there is no dust on it, placing it on the turntable, and carefully lowering the needle on the line where the song that you want to listen begins; the distinctive sound; and hearing the blast through old-fashioned speakers is priceless! I am on a mission to find all of those LPs that link me to my childhood and adolescence. This is my new obsession.
10. Plant rose bushes and grow berries.
I have always wanted to cultivate berries, watch, and help them grow, and finally be able to cut them with the help of my children, then wash them and eat the delicious treat that came directly from our garden. That is my plan, and I am looking forward to implementing it as soon as the weather improves.
I am also planning on planting rose bushes in my garden. I know it is going to be a challenge and a lot of hard work, but the rewards of seeing the beautiful buds opening and turning into amazing flowers is worth it. The softness, the delicious and romantic smell of the petals, and the different colors of the flowers are a privilege to experience and a sight for sore eyes.
This is our year to plant seeds and harvest all of those dreams and goals that we have been adding to our bucket lists. This is our moment! Lots of luck!
