Navigating a New Year

Written by Valynne Underwood

Whew!  2022 is over, and 2023 has been presented to the world. 

A new year always comes with so many feelings of hope, excitement, joy, relief, anxiety, worry, and troubling emotions.  Events happened in 2022 that were a veritable smorgasbord, a feast!  Some events you would classify as wonderful or even life changing while others will definitely be a hard pass-a no thankyou repeat of this one!  Questions make way to the forefront of the mind full of the unknown which always asks: What will this year hold for me?  Will it be better or worse than last year?  What will life look like a year from now?  Will all be well in my life?  Will there be more moments of good rather than bad?  Who will still be involved in my life?  Will I remain healthy?  Will my weight go up or down?  Will my family circle increase or decrease?  The same question goes with my friend circle and we haven’t even addressed personal health, finances, or relationships! 

This is another question everyone definitely asks, why have I ended 2022 feeling exhausted, melancholy and burned out?  Many would say, “The Holidays” are the culprit and that may be so, however, I have a feeling it is much more.  Every question posed towards a new year is a sign pointing to a very simple and specific answer.  All these questions surround you and your personal being -- with the key word being “surround.”  Surround means outside of, be all around.  Are you surrounding yourself with these same thoughts and questions?

What would happen if we changed the focus surrounding us?  Why not turn the focus inward, filling up our inside with statements and thoughts of optimism, good, yes, love, health, companionable, persistence, and resiliency?  There are so many other words and statements to use.  Grab them, as many as possible, and start the New Year by filling yourself full of them.  Wait a minute, do you see what you’re doing?  You have unconsciously started on your New Year’s Resolution, and it’s a good one.  The best one you have ever and will ever make.  Your New Year’s Resolution is “You.”  How will you navigate the New Year?  What will you fill yourself up with?  Keep the navigation simple and here’s a hint: love.  Are your thoughts filled with love?  Do you act with love?  Speak with love?  Think with love?  For now let’s end it with something I found on Instagram from Elyse Myers. I think her words are a great start towards focusing on you.

You Matter

I’m so glad you’re here

You matter

You, matter

You…

What you think and say and feel matters

You are valuable

You are worth protecting

If everything around you

Is chaotic

And you want to shrink

And get small

And get out of the way

Speak louder

You are worth listening to

Take up space

And be proud of the space that you are taking up

Because it’s really important space

And I’m gonna need you to stay there

And take it up

Just as largely as you can

You matter

 elyse_myers ∙ Original audio Instagram

Carry on with love until next time.

Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash