The holidays have come and gone. Families have gone home, feasting, and celebrating has come to an end. Now is the time of resolutions and promises. Some promises we have made to ourselves, and maybe possibly many made to others. Some it is a chance at a new and fresh start. To some it is a chance to work on ourselves and become a better version of oneself. To some it is just another year that does not change much for them in the end, besides they must remember to write a new date on everything. In the end the New Year represents many things to people as vastly different and individual as the populace we reside.
I would like to think that the New Year is a chance to reflect and remember that no matter what time will move forward, and things are going to change. No better reminder for this is the progressive reminder that there is a close to a year and a new year chronologically began with a new number. Right? I would really like to impress on you though that change is not all bad. Good things can come with change. New opportunities and growth can spur from the most horrible events in our life. You may find yourself smashed on the rocks of life one minute and then the next you are walking on the most gorgeous beach you have ever seen. One thing that I want you to think about as you go into this new year is how can you change your thinking. No matter the bad that may be happening in your life at this very moment there is still good. There are things that you may not see because you are so blinded by the negative. Yet they are there, the flickers of good, the flickers of joy, and the chance for feeling happiness.
If you find yourself struggling take a second to reflect. Look for the good in everything you do. If you are walking, look for something unique that you have missed. Pick up the hobby that you stopped making time for. Get some much-needed rest. Utilize your support system. Learn to challenge negative thoughts and work on reinforcing the positives you have in life. Look at the role you play in your unhappiness and how you can change the role in yourself. Treat others how you wish to be treated. If you were to do these changes you will be shocked at the growth you will see in your life.
I often talk about balance and the reason why I bring this up is because most people have some aspects of their life that is unbalanced. I often will explore with my clients the things in their life that is going good. What strengths do they have? How are they meeting their needs? What turmoil do they have in their life? This can be very telling overall and often leads to self discovery for the person I am working with. Often many present with very poor life balance and do not feel in control of their life anymore. In the end thoughts and internal narratives more often than not are the root problem that people struggle with. Since we have went into a circle in this paragraph we are now back to balance again. I know, I know I went on a tangent. I do this often so bear with me. In the end life balance can be a huge factor in coping as well. Look at your life structure and see where the stressors lie. It could be a life structure issue that is causing some conflict within your life. So learning to take time to explore your life, feelings, and life structure can, and will pay off.
In the end I just wanted to say Happy New Year to all of you. May 2022 be a year of blessings for you, and may you find the joy and happiness that everyone deserves.
William