If it were possible, most people would prefer to wipe out the memories of the last two years for they carry the burden of pain and suffering. But it’s not the time to look back and ponder over what we lost but to look ahead and welcome the new year with optimism and joy.
Yes, the journey ahead may not be easy as the pandemic continues, and it’s human tendency to dwell on the negative more than the positive. Psychologists call this phenomenon negative bias. But we need to tap into our inner strength to stay positive and welcome 2022 with open arms.
Wondering how to do that? Read on to find out.
Learn from the past
The first step to making 2022 your best year yet is to absorb all the lessons the past two years have taught us. The pandemic showed us how uncertain life can be, from the first warning to the complete lockdown, from deaths to recoveries. Reflect on the fears we all experienced, not just for our lives but for our loved ones too. The jobs we lost, the goals we couldn’t chase, the places we couldn’t visit, life was a nightmare these past months.
Those days are in the past. They can’t hurt you anymore. They can only teach you how precious and fragile life is. This reality check can give you perspectives to always look at the brighter side and make the best of what you have—the present. As spiritual author and motivational speaker, Wayne Dyer once said, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” So learn from the past and embrace the present because the future is waiting for you with new opportunities and experiences.
Work on your fundamentals
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals. Any compromise on mere fundamentals is a surrender. For it is all give and no take.” To excel at anything, whether it’s a sport or the game of life, you need to master your fundamentals. You need to learn the basics before playing in the big leagues. The same goes for life.
To make 2022 your best year yet, you need to rework the fundamentals of life—our sleeping patterns, eating habits, taking breaks from work and whatnot. These are the building blocks of our lives that were toppled down by the pandemic. It’s time to work on these fundamentals again and relearn the habits that are the fabric of our healthy lives. Go to bed on time and get at least six hours of sleep every day. Eat mindfully. Take breaks between tasks to prevent burnout and fatigue. To achieve anything big this year, master these basics first.
Set a vision for 2022
The Secret by bestselling author Rhonda Byrne introduced the world with the Law of Attraction. In a nutshell, it says, visualise anything—good or bad—and you will attract it in your life. All your goals, desires, wishes—you can manifest all with the power of positive thinking. So, for 2022, visualise all the things you always wanted. Don’t hold yourself back. Don’t worry about ifs and buts. Just make a mental note of your goals, which you believe will fill your life with excitement and joy.
Once this is done, put down everything on a piece of paper. Make sure you write things that interest you. Goals that you always wanted to pursue but couldn’t. Stay positive, be bold but wise as well. Set a vision that is achievable within a year. If you intend to increase your bank balance so be it. But do calculate beforehand how much you can make it by the year’s end and what are the things you’d need to achieve the same.
Set short-term goals
Once your vision is set, it’s time to go to the whiteboard and write down your goals. Make a list of goals you wish to accomplish. Then break each goal into smaller targets. Add specific details to each target—timelines, barriers, efforts. For instance, if your vision is to achieve holistic wellbeing, you need to focus on your mental as well as physical health. For your mind, you need to set targets for daily activities such as meditation, yoga, and embracing silence. For your body, you need to eat and sleep right, exercise, drink plenty of water, and take breaks from work to avoid fatigue. The idea is to set short-term goals that are easy to achieve and can help you stay on track and stay positive. Don’t forget, setting goals is one thing, being consistent and motivated is another. You can’t achieve your goals without both of them.
Start a success and defeat journal
You have broken down your goals into smaller, achievable targets. Now comes the difficult part. Know that in the end, the journey will be worth it but it will not necessarily be easy. If you wish to make 2022 your best year yet, keep in mind that it’s going to be a bumpy ride. You will encounter ‘enemies’ that will discourage you from achieving your goals. Enemies like procrastination, demotivation, fear of failure, lack of self-belief—you need to defeat them as they show up in your path.
One way to do this is to start a success and defeat journal. Writing in itself is a therapeutic exercise that can put your negative thoughts to rest. So write down the defeats you will encounter while pursuing your goals. Don’t worry if the first few pages of your journal are filled with failures and setbacks. If you persevere, these defeats will turn into successes. Write them down too. As months will pass by, keep visiting these logs. This will help you track your progress and give you clarity into your strengths and weaknesses.
Discover your why to do good this year
To make 2022 your best year yet, you need to figure out your why. It’s the driving force that will empower you to navigate through all the obstacles, stay positive, and reach your destination before the year ends. Your why is your reason to get up in the morning every day. It is your reason to exist. That’s you make each day count and avoid feeling regretful when the year ends. Author and inspiration speaker, Simon Sinek wrote in his book Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Finding Purpose for You and Your Team, “It is only when you understand your “why” that you’ll be more capable of pursuing the things that give you fulfilment. It will serve as your point of reference for all your actions and decisions from this moment on, allowing you to measure your progress and know when you have met your goals.”
Ask yourself what you want to achieve this year and why. What is the hidden reward you are seeking? What lengths you are willing to go to make your 2022 the best year yet? These questions will help you discover your why.
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