Transform in the New Year
And just like that, another year has flown by. After the couple of years we’ve all been through and with 2021 coming to a close with yet another wave of Covid, it makes sense if you are looking forward to 2022. It makes sense if you are ready to leave the hardship, the loss, the uncertainty, and the chaos behind you. It makes sense if you’re ready to move forward and never look back.
It makes so much sense. Yet, in doing so, we are turning our backs on the lessons embedded in every chapter. We are turning our backs on the growth that is a byproduct of uncertainty. We are turning our backs on the learning that is engrained in every experience as we move through life. And we are turning our backs on the potential for transformation that lives within every perceived misfortune.
Before we ring in the new year, it is so important to be intentional about setting aside uninterrupted time to not only reflect on the year that has passed but gain clarity as to where you are headed.
If you are thinking, well that’s great but how do I even start to do that… I’ve got you covered. Here are a few questions / areas of your life to reflect upon as it pertains to the year that has passed and the year that is yet to unfold.
First, ask yourself, what brought you the most joy this year?
It’s important to start here because this will lay the foundation for how you decide what you will be leaving in 2021 and bringing into 2022. Oftentimes, we don’t take the time to reflect on what our soul is trying to communicate to us. Those feelings of elation, those times we enter a flow state and time dissolves right before us - that is our soul communicating with us. That is our cue to follow that pull towards joy. So I invite you to take a moment and allow your most joyful moments from this year to easefully come to the forefront of your mind. Were you alone working on your side hustle? Were you spending quality time with a loved one doing something that seems mundane? Were you allowing yourself to be creative in artistic expression, movement, writing? There is no right or wrong answer - there is just what lights you up. There is just what brings you joy.
Once you’ve determined what those moments were - ask yourself, how can I incorporate more of that into 2022? For example, if you felt the most joyful at times you were alone, working on something you’re passionate about, how can you be intentional about incorporating more time in your week to prioritize that. Does that look like setting aside one evening per week that is non negotiable? Does that look like setting aside a morning on the weekends? Does that look like finding an accountability buddy to hold you accountable to this set time? Does that look like finding a coach so that time is not only set in your calendar every week, but it’s an investment in yourself so you are more likely to truly invest your energy into this endeavor. Determine what that looks like for you and take the necessary step to make this a non negotiable time in your week.
In keeping with this thread, next reflect upon this last year and determine what took energy away from pursuing joy? Determine what {bad} habit or people drained energy that you’re choosing to redirect into what gives you energy {and joy} in the new year. This can look as small as choosing to eliminate certain energy draining foods from your diet or as big as choosing to eliminate habits like watching tv. This can ALSO pertain to people - unfortunately, not everyone is meant to be in our lives forever. Some people are - but others are meant to be on your train for a while and then get off. You know it’s their time to get off if they fall into this category of draining your energy. And, that’s ok. It’s ok to reflect on this year, all the connections and relationships, and notice that some no longer serve you - in fact, some may be downright toxic for you to be apart of. In realizing that, it’s ok to choose to limit the amount of time you spend with that person - in that dynamic - and divert that time into people + activities that fuel you.
The last question I am bringing to you today is, what is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in 2021? Taking time to reflect upon and articulate this to yourself {and perhaps others in your close circle} is SO powerful. Not only does it guide you in finding an empowering thread that ties together every experience and perceived misfortune of this year, but it empowers you to take action and apply this learning to your future.
If we do not take a moment to derive a lesson from the last year, we are truly doing ourselves a disservice. We are not giving ourselves an opportunity to grow. We are placing an upper limit on our ability to transform. By articulating and integrating this lesson into our being, we can then use it as a tool to move forward into the new year. We can use it as a vehicle for growth to expand our capacity to hold and experience the richness of this life.