Paul Hickey: New year, new energy and taking on resolutions

Indigenous All Stars, 2022.

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones, and I hope you managed to create some special memories over the holiday period.

For me, it was nice to have both of our kids home in Rotorua for Christmas, recreating some of our regular traditions.

New Year’s saw my wife Katie and I spend a bit of time away camping with close friends on the Bay of Plenty coast, even managing to get onto the beach between the spells of rain.

That annoying wet stuff did derail a few of our plans around Speedway which was a bit gutting, but overall I’m feeling energised and refreshed for 2023, and I hope you are too.

I’ve made a few life-change plans this year personally, and I’m excited for what the year will bring as we take another step towards normality. And with initial signs looking positive for our local tourism market, let’s hope Rotorua can flourish, which will bring benefits to each and every one of us in our special part of the world.

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We are two weeks into 2023 - how are you going with your New Year’s resolutions? Good luck if you are aiming to lose weight, get healthier or exercise more!

But to change things up a bit, I’ve read that an expert on motivation and wellbeing suggests that resolutions to help others will end up being better for you personally in the long run.

How’s that? He says that most resolutions are an attempt to look better, relieve guilt, or meet the standards of others, and “because it isn’t really coming from your own values or interests, the energy for it fades fast”.

On the other hand, goals which include giving back to others are much more satisfying.

He said: “If we […] set goals that aim to help others, those kinds of goals will, in turn, also add to our own wellbeing” and happiness. What a great idea, and I reckon it’s not too late to start now.

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So, this weekend brings to an end my stint on our special The Hits Rotorua Summer Breakfast.

While it has been a little rugged waking up at 5am every morning, I’ve been able to finish work early in the afternoon to still enjoy the rest of the day.

Not to say that work isn’t enjoyable, because I do have an amazing job, as has been proven by the plenty of happy locals and visitors who have been part of the show over the past month.

Great stories of family time and fun experiences have been shared with me, and I’ve given away heaps of free tickets to our best attractions and big events in Rotorua.

And it was pretty cool to have the summer breakfast show sponsored by the NRL Harvey Norman All-Stars: Māori v Indigenous rugby league clash happening here in Rotorua in February.

In fact, next week I have one final double pass to the game to give away, so make sure you are listening to my regular show, back on The Hits with my regular hours from 9am till 3pm across the Rotorua weekdays.

Paul Hickey is your local host on The Hits Rotorua weekdays between 9am and 3pm. Featuring Rotorua news, information, and giveaways, plus trending stories from around the world. Listen on 97.5FM or download the iHeartRadio app. PLUS follow The Hits Rotorua and Paul on Facebook and Instagram.