As the remnants of holiday stress fade away, we finally have time to reflect.
Although I’ve never been a fan of New Year’s resolutions, I do believe in the value of contemplating the gifts and misfortune the year has brought.
Yet the tricky part about this process is, we tend to automatically measure our outward achievements—the money we made, material objected we acquired and whether or not we found our “dream” job or “soulmate.”
And while these accomplishments may look great on paper or change our social status, they don’t make us better humans. So, before we get out our measuring stick—perhaps we could reconsider what and how we measure.
Because when we look back at our experiences and understand how they’ve shaped us—we gain wisdom and clarity—motivating us to move forward.
So let’s remember all the battles we fought, challenges we faced and pain we endured—the breakup, the lost job, the diagnosis we received or loved one we lost. And lest we forget about the new skills we acquired, bonds we formed or vulnerable acts we braved.
It’s these important parts that we often overlook, and yet they profoundly change who we are. They build our strength, give us courage and allow us to understand ourselves better.
And when we know ourselves better, we can then make quality choices and be present in our lives.
I propose we look at the year in a different light and celebrate what matters most. Because the truth is, some of our biggest achievements can’t be measured.
And when we focus more on how our lives feel on the inside, and less on how they look on the outside, our whole world opens up—and hope arrives.