If I’m going to be honest, the last twelve months has brought me stress, upheaval, discontent, and sadness. I’ve lost relationships that have been dear to me. I’ve experienced transformation that has turned me inside out. This year has been one of the most unstable times in my life. I honestly couldn’t wait to end this tumultuous year. Despite the crazy changes, I’ve learned some really important things about myself, my family and friends. Oddly enough, my word for 2023 was CHANGE. And boy…did I ever go through it!
Rather than allowing the New Year to be a reminder of all the things that went wrong this past year, I’ve chosen to embrace it as a brand new opportunity to put the past behind you and move forward with a greater sense of knowing who I am.
In order to close out one year and start another in a positive way, you must let go of any negative thoughts you’ve been harboring about the events of last year. Avoid thinking that nothing will change in the New Year, or that things will always be undesirable. A New Year is a clean slate. What happened is in the past, recognize what is before you is a NEW future.
The key is to set your mind on how things will be better this year. Start by focusing your mind on what you want, as opposed to what you don’t want. You’ll be able to see last year’s setbacks in a different light. Seeing a setback as a challenge that you can overcome, even if it takes some time, will allow you to continue moving forward when things aren’t going your way.
Even the happiest people have challenges.At times I struggled and felt beat down this past year. You don’t overcome challenges by staying down. I made a decision to get back up as hard as it was, and focused on solutions rather than the problem.
Focus on Letting Go of the Past
When you release what you’re struggling with from the closing year, you free yourself to move forward without the baggage. If something or someone hurt you or made you upset, recognize that today is a new day and that you have the power to choose your future.
There are several ways to let go of past hurts. Experiment until you find what works for you. The good news is that if you keep trying different approaches, you’ll find something that helps you succeed in this endeavor.
Try the following for a new, fresh perspective and direction:
- Visualize your hurts and worries as balloons, and release them to the sky.
- Make a list of the upsetting events from the last year and set the list on fire.
- If you’re religious, pray and ask for release from the pain or challenges you face.
- Spend time in quiet reflection so you can find more peace in your life.
- Take the time to consciously forgive others for what they did, even if it’s hard to do.
- Be honest about any changes you could make to improve the quality of your life.
Move Forward Into the New Year
Once you’ve found the right way for you to let go of the last year, it’s time to get ready for the new one.
What do you want to do in the New Year? What are your goals, plans, and dreams? Write them down. Take a look at them. Have you left anything out? Have you added things that really belong to others and what they want for your life?
Adjust your list to reflect what matters the most to you. Prioritize it with your most important objectives at the top. Break down your list into manageable segments, with small steps that you can accomplish one by one. This powers you to move forward with the confidence in order to achieve great success in the New Year.
I realize this has been one of the most challenging years of my life. Frederick Douglass said “Without struggle there can be no progress.” Whether you agree with this statement or not, it rings true for me. The mental and emotional fortitude I’ve gained over this past year has changed me. As I close out the year I can be honest in saying that I’m grateful for the difficulties. I’m grateful for the change as I’ve emerged as a more resilient, confident, self-aware person.
I’m thankful for all of you who have been my champions. I’m looking forward to phenomenal experiences in 2024. Happy New Year!!