Let's begin. How do you feel when you look back on your life? Are you happy with the person you have become? Are you excited to continue to grow into the person you are becoming? Overthinking can be such a burden on the mind, so please, when asking yourself these questions be mindful not to dwell, instead let us reflect and accept what is happening right now. I say us because we are all still growing and that in turn involves learning from our past to create a better future.
Each passing year we experience things which are significant in our life span. We meet new people, we lose old connections. We take a couple setbacks and we celebrate our success stories. A lot can happen in a year, heard that one before right? The interesting thing about that phrase is that it can be broken down in so many ways. Typically, in a year we get 12 months, 4 seasons, a few bank holidays and most significantly 1 birthday. The only thing that is guaranteed to change is your age.. on the surface that is.
If we compare the current year to that of 3/4 years ago, I'm sure we can pull apart many differences in ourselves. Indeed, we mature greatly with a mix of responsibilities and experiences, however I challenge the thought that it could be possible to use each year to substantially improve our happiness. Ultimately, the richness of life is determined by how much time we spent being happy. The obstacles in our lives act like hurdles, raised at a height which forces us to overcome the barrier. I highlighted the word act because in essence that is what it is, an act.
I like to look at life as a play of our lives. Each year forming an episode with our days providing the content. I use this as a template to look back on my year before looking at my life in a bigger picture, which alternatively creates room to improve on a mental level. Our perspectives shape our mindset and as the new year approaches, I would like to offer some thoughts on both reflection and optimism:
Reflective Thinking
I began this piece with 3 questions and focused on an entire life span. At this stage, I suggest asking those same questions and focusing solely on the current year. For some, the answer may be somewhat similar to the answers relating to the whole life span, others, well that might be different. Being able to reflect on the year itself allows an individual to evaluate their progression and/or regression. Regardless, the good thing is that we are able to reflect on both segments and in turn this leaves room for optimism..
Auspicious Thinking
The future is such a beautiful mystery. As individuals, we tend to "worry" about the future without reflecting on the past. When I say reflecting, I do not mean reminiscent thoughts, far from it. In depth analysis and evaluation is important whilst reflecting as we learn from our experiences and strive to improve. I suggest starting with the current year and begin to consider a fresh perspective on the new year.
Change
The new year is an opportunity for new experiences and memories. It is an intriguing time in our lives and we should embrace it with eagerness and enthusiasm. Change is inevitable, time is continuous, however what you can control is the content you provide in the 12 months provided in a year. Embrace the change, it goes hand in hand with reflection and optimism.
As the year draws to a close, take a look back at things with a sense of intrigue, but as I said at the beginning, do not dwell on the past. Reflect, evaluate and look to the future. Your perspective will mould your future, so be optimistic because all in all, the future is whatever you want it to be.
Embrace Life. Love Life. Live Life.