Processing 2022 Before 2023
2023 is right around the corner. The holiday season is rapidly approaching, signaling the wrapping up of 2022. Your first thought is probably to panic; with all the planning, gifts, decorating, cooking, and family coming into town. But before all the chaos comes and tries to take over your day to day life, take a moment to ponder and reflect upon the year that is quickly coming to a close. It can be important to create goals and resolutions for the upcoming year. However, there is also an importance in sitting with the year that you just lived, reflecting upon both the good and the bad that might have happened in the last twelve months.
The Importance of looking back before looking forward to the new year:
Our lives have a tendency to be crazy, hectic, and filled to the brim with endless to do lists while more and more seems to be piling on to our plate. During these seasons of chaos it is important to take a step back and reflect on how we are doing as a person, checking in on relationships that are important to us, and being truly honest with ourselves in this quiet moment before moving on towards more goals and the never ending to do lists.
The importance of looking forward:
If we do not take the moments we’re afforded to look back where we have come from, we cannot accurately look forward towards where we are going and create goals that reflect where we are as well as where we want to be. Many people start the new year off strong with resolutions that they intend to keep and maintain to better their lives, but by the time Valentine’s Day hits the resolution is out the window and they are back to their same old habits. For many people this happens because they are neglecting to look back on their lives before forming these idealistic expectations for themselves, instead of being honest with the year that they have had and creating a goal based on where they are and being okay with the small steps to get to these bigger goals. Big goals are a great thing to shoot for, but nine times out of ten, when we start a big goal we get too intimidated by the massive mountain in front of us instead of breaking it down into easier, more maintainable goals to strive for.
