And just like that, it’s 2022. Social media is humming with resolutions and new year wishes! Wonder what mine will be. That got me thinking of what my 2021 resolutions were, then I remembered - I don't have any!
The idea of making a list of resolutions used to be exciting for me until I realised I couldn't keep them. It gave me a false sense of accomplishment, a temporary high because it felt good to write out the list and imagine what might happen if I kept any of them. My list started out large, with 10-20 resolutions, but then, as the years passed, it got shorter and shorter...until I finally conceded. Who am I kidding? I couldn't keep my promises to myself. I was too busy with life, work, and parenting to make any effort to keep my resolutions. It could also have been that I didn't care much for them and therefore subconsciously didn't feel obligated to keep them.
Then some time in mid-2020, during the pandemic, as I was going through a rough patch in my life, I decided I needed to do something that would give me better control of my life. 2020 was quite a rollercoaster year of emotions that left me feeling drained and fatigued, confused and even a little lost. I decided that to evaluate what I was going through and what it was that I wanted. I took to my journal, revisited my past, then penned down some soul-searching questions and answers. That was not an easy exercise – confronting myself was a struggle and at times, I thought that I was doing something futile. Still, I pressed on because I really wanted to turn things around. Eventually, I determined a goal and planned the steps towards achieving it.
It was probably one of the best things I did to get a little focus (and sanity) at that time. Every month, for the next six months, I looked back at the different goal posts I'd set up to make sure I was following through with what I had planned. In the process, I reminded myself to not let missing a step or taking too long get in my way - it was more important to just keep moving and follow the plan one step at a time. Even when I got thrown a curveball, I just changed tactics. You have to follow the flow, but not lose sight of the end goal.
Because of that experience, I decided to start the following year, 2021, with goals instead of resolutions. Goals felt more intentional and purposeful, and the outcomes, more tangible. Each accomplished baby step last year was a small win, and as I accumulated them along the way, I felt more positive and happier. Friends and family would even remark at how much brighter and fresher I looked when they met with me. And while I didn't achieve all of my goals this time around, (perhaps I got a little too ambitious), I'm glad to say I accomplished the two that mattered most. So for this new year, I'm not making resolutions; instead, I'm focusing on my next goal.
However, no matter what you decide, whether you make resolutions or not, be prepared for deviations and learn to enjoy the ride.
From GML Gallery, let's make this year better, brighter, and more focused!
