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feature opportunities knock

Michele Koh Morollo makes some New Year’s resolutions.

January is the month for resolutions, goal setting and dreaming big dreams. At their core, most of our resolutions are driven by one thing – to become better, more well-rounded versions of ourselves. For those looking for personal growth and a fuller, more interesting life in the New Year, here are 14 ideas to help you kick start 2014.

1. Go to boot campBurn off that Christmas and New Year excess and transform into a leaner, healthier you with Primal Strength’s 12-week boot camp. This results-based strength-training fitness programme is designed to challenge you within your individual capabilities. Train four times a week for 12 weeks at Primal Strength’s

4,000-square-foot gym with state-of-the-art strength-training machines and apparatus.

Head trainer Ian Wilson explains: “We believe high-intensity forms of exercise, in particular strength training, should be the non-negotiable foundation of everyone’s exercise plan, regardless of their goals. Apart from the acute effect of burning massive amounts of calories during the session and the associated recovery, it elevates anabolic hormones, which increases fat burning. Strength and conditioning also play a huge part in injury prevention, and performance enhancement in athletes, or anyone else.”

Hong Kong International School, 1 Red Hill Road, Tai Tam, 5305 6323, www.primalstrength.com.

2. Update your wardrobe Allow your inner fashionista to blossom with help from Australian fashion brand Seed Heritage. Made from light fabrics and

luxuriously soft cottons, these casual, breezy

designs are perfect for Hong Kong weather. Head designer Karla Fitzpatrick says her creations are for the “everyday woman who still wants to look stylish”. The Repulse Bay Arcade, 109 Repulse Bay Road, 2543 0131, www.seedheritage.com

3. Revamp your home Donate your old furniture and update your home with eco-friendly, sustainable teak pieces from Tree. Cool and

contemporary furniture is

14goals for2014

made from recycled, reclaimed or responsibly sourced wood certified by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or directly supported through the Tree4Trees Foundation. Tree also makes home accessories out of reclaimed materials, including tyres and abandoned Indonesian fishing boats. 28/F Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, 2870 1582, www.tree.com.hk.

4. Eat organicallyMake this the year you rid your body of pesticides, chemicals, additives and other toxins by switching to wholesome organic groceries. Kinoa is an eco-friendly online supermarket that delivers organic groceries, wines and even chemical-free household goods and toiletries direct to doorsteps throughout Hong Kong, except Shek O. For details, please visit kinoa-shop.com.

5. Get green fingersTending plants is truly rewarding. Helping a plant survive and thrive during the changing seasons teaches patience, persistence and responsibility, plus they’re

Clockwise: learn to surf at Big Wave Bay, revamp your home at Tree, your wardrobe at Seed Heritage or buff up at Primal Strength.

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beautiful and they improve the air quality. Grow a window box, pot plants or, if you’re feeling ambitious, start a small garden or vegetable patch. The space-challenged can grow an indoor vertical garden. Margaret Chen at SquAir Spaces can show you how. 6/F, The Factory, 1 Yip Fat Street, Wong Chuk Hang, sqspaces.com. For pot plants, visit P&F Garden, 50 Shui

Choi Tin Village, Victoria Road, Pok Fu Lam, 2812 0948.

6. Adopt a puppyLooking for a furry friend? Head over to Whiskers N Paws on any given Sunday for Puppy Adoption Day, held in partnership with Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR). Those who don’t want to adopt immediately can volunteer at HKDR, a great way for children and families considering dog ownership to meet and interact with puppies in a safe and fun environment.

“Looking after animals is a great way to teach children compassion and responsibility. Having a pet is a wonderful way of bringing family members together too,” says Whiskers N Paws’ owner Vada Chung.

Sundays, 2pm-5pm, 10/F Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, 2552 6200, www.wnp.com.hk.

7. Awaken your inner artisan Home jewellery makers, fashion designers, jam crafters and sculptors rejoice. Handmade Hong Kong organizes craft markets where craftspeople of all stripes can show and sell their wares at monthly events in Discovery Bay.

“Art and craft makes us better people because by appreciating them – or better

yet, engaging in their practice – we develop discipline, confidence, imagination, recreation and aesthetic sensibility,” says Handmade Hong Kong Director Jacinta Read. “Some people can add a stream of income to that as well. Whether or not there is a monetary reward, there is a huge sense of enjoyment that comes from using your hands to make things.”

For details, please visit www.handmadehongkong.com.

8. Hare around with the HashersThe Royal Southside Hash House Harriers was formed in 1978 primarily by British military personnel in Royden Court, Repulse Bay (now The Lily), looking to combine exercise

and socializing. The army types are long gone, but the hashers are still here, chasing elusive “hares” along chalk trails laid across the hillsides and through the undergrowth of Southside’s glorious scenery, usually followed by drinks (down downs) and often by dinner.

“People love the hash for the outdoors, the camaraderie, the friends they make, and the places they otherwise wouldn’t go,” explains hash master Steven Pyle.

Join the hash on January 1, when it ushers in the New Year with a meeting on Repulse Bay beach and a family run through the hills. For details, please visit www.rs2h3.com.

9. Take a family portrait Time passes, children grow up, memories are precious. Before the kids leave for college, capture the spirit of your family in a professional portrait. With more than 30 years in the business, Tin Tin Photo Service offers both studio and outdoor professional photography that will last for generations. It can also turn your own photographs into professionally produced albums. Shop 304, Stanley Plaza, 23 Carmel Road, Stanley, 2813 8060.

10. Learn to surf Southside has some of the finest waves in Hong Kong, so take advantage of living here by

learning to surf at Big Wave Bay, near Shek O. X Game is a hip surf and skate company that offers theory and practical surfing lessons at Big Wave Bay for $500 a person for groups of two to four people, or $800 for a private one-to-one lesson. Hang ten, dudes. For details, call 2366 9293 or see www.xgamehk.com.

11. Om Meditation is good for you. Researchers at Harvard Medical School discovered that, over the long term, people who regularly meditate have more active “disease-fighting genes” and are able to fight off illnesses more effectively than non-meditators. Meditation

Be pampered at Sense of Touch, adopt a pup from Whiskers N Paws or grow a plant.

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also helps physical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and psoriasis and lowers blood pressure. Psychological perks include increased focus, clarity, calmness, motivation and intuition, diminished stress and emotional balance. Begin making meditation a part of your daily life by sitting in the lotus position for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes before bed. Close your eyes and inhale while counting to five, then exhale while counting to six and focus on your breathing.

12. Be pampered Start the year with a massage, body treatment or facial at Sense of Touch Spa in Repulse Bay. This award-winning day spa is an oasis of wellness where you can indulge in stress-relieving, aromatherapy, slimming, anti-ageing and other therapies.

“We offer result-oriented treatments with a blissful, feel-good effect. Downtime at a spa is very important in helping us feel special, beautiful and nurtured,” says managing director Anna Treier.

1/F, The Repulse Bay Arcade, 109 Repulse Bay Road, 2592 9668, www.senseoftouch.com.hk.

13. Support the arts Feed the soul at Spring Workshop. This non-profit arts space in Wong Chuk Hang offers a cross-disciplinary programme of exhibitions, music, film, performance, curatorial residencies and talks by local and international artists.

“Through art, we get to see the world through the eyes of others,” says founder Mimi Brown. “We get to see ourselves reflected or attracted or sometimes even repulsed by something that is (most of the time) inanimate. These processes are what let us come to know ourselves better and let us come to connect more deeply with others.”

3/F Remex Centre, 42 Wong Chuk Hang Road, 2110 4370, www.springworkshop.org.

14. Train for a triathlonIf you want to stick to a fitness routine, set a goal. And few aims focus the mind quite like signing up for a triathlon – swimming, long-distance running and cycling – with the Hong Kong Triathlon Association. Each sport uses different muscles and requires a lot of stamina. But if you can complete a triathlon, you’ll feel ready to take on anything the year throws at you. And you’ll be looking pretty good too. For details, visit www.triathlon.com.hk.

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