With 2020 right around the corner, you may be asking yourself, “What now?” You might be reminiscing on the past year, wondering what you accomplished, where you went, or who you loved. This is all valid, but the most important thing on your mind should be *drumroll please* yourself. Did you see yourself grow in 2019? I don’t mean physically- or maybe I do. Did you allow your mindset to broaden? Did you learn about the unknown? Did you form a new habit, like going to the gym, or reading before bed? All of these questions should be what’s floating through your mind with the upcoming year close ahead.
It’s such a cliché to call the new year a time for change- but it truly is. With the new year comes absolution and a clean slate. The past of yesteryear can no longer influence your mindset simply because an untouched, entire year is ahead of you.
Why is it that people create a variety of resolutions to take part in at the beginning of every year? What compels them to do this? I believe that these resolutions are stirred by that feeling of newness. So many individuals make promises to themselves to improve personal growth- yet so many individuals break those promises almost immediately after they make them. It’s as if January 1st is a magical day that allows everyone to feel a spark of dedication, and 24 hours later that spark dwindles down to nothing. What is the magic within this special day, and how can we hold onto it forever?
The truth is, there is no magic that comes along with the beginning of January, but there’s a fairly easy way to harness it. You hold this power. Dedication, determination, and persistence all stem from you and your mindset. The beauty of being human is the ability to change how we think, act, and react. We can decide to let go of our ambitions the day after we proclaim them- or we can decide to hold them obstinately throughout the year! My challenge for every person reading this is to make one silent promise to themselves that they maintain throughout 2020. It doesn’t have to be huge, or even life changing, just as long as it will make a simple difference in your everyday life.
Today I am promising myself that I will slow down next year. I will be present around the ones I love, and make a conscious effort to remind them of how much I appreciate them. Too often I get caught up in the future and look anxiously towards the future.
2020 will be different, because I will make it different. See? New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be a huge change, like going to the gym everyday, but they can be something more feasible, like adjusting your attitude towards life. When you fulfill a promise you make to yourself, you prove to yourself that your capability transcends life’s obstacles. You can do whatever you want in this world, but until you realize that you’re the origin of this change, nothing will get done. So good luck on your 2020 endeavors and I wish you all the best in keeping the promises you make to yourself!