2020.. What a time, right?
Not just a new year but a new decade altogether. The perfect chance to hit the restart button and start fresh. To take past lessons and apply them to new life decisions. To move forward every day a bit more matured, a bit more wise and a bit more free.
With that being said, is there a more perfect opportunity to go over things we should be leaving and/or taking with us into the new year? I think not. So here goes nothing:
(Photo courtesy of phuket.com)
First and foremost, stop putting a pause on your life for other people. Do not be afraid to do things alone. It’s time to start living your life for YOU, and doing so unapologetically. So buy that plane ticket! Travel to Thailand in the summer and wear that yellow flowy dress that is destined to be walking through the street markets at night. It is due time to stop using the excuse that your friends are flakes, and start committing to all the things you’ve dreamed of doing and the person you’ve dreamt of being. What better day than today to start putting yourself first and saying YES to all of your goals. From this moment onward, it is of crucial importance to realize that the only person that’s in your way is you.
Secondly, YES — this is the decade where many of us will find our way into the “real world”. Filing taxes, house hunting, graduation, looking for jobs in our career fields, turning 30, marriage, and… babies. Yes, babies. This is the decade where many of our friends, who are absolutely living their best lives today, will have children. But guess what? There is no rush. Remember to take a deep breath and to take things at your own pace, one step at a time. You do not have to have it all figured out right now, or today, or tomorrow. So stop comparing where you are now to where your friends are. Different people take different routes that will lead them in different directions. And that is okay! Do not rush your process; you have to learn how to walk before you can run.
(Photo courtesy of hbr.org)
Thirdly, stop wasting your life sitting behind a screen. Sorry in advance for the tough love but get off of your ass! You will only be as young as you are today, today!! Take advantage of that. Go for a hike. Go to the beach. Take up a pottery class. Visit your local botanical garden. Water your plants. Volunteer at a retirement home. Read a book. Learn how to make a new dish. Register for that 5K run. Walk to the local record store and fall in love with an old (but new to you) artist. Long story short — DO SOMETHING!! Netflix will always be there at the end of the night. And trust me, finishing the next episode of the show you’re currently binging will feel 10 times more rewarding after a very successful and productive day.
Lastly, watch the way you speak to yourself. The way you demonstrate love to yourself sets the tone for how you’ll let others treat you. So, be good to you. Make sure you put yourself first. It’s important to know that you ARE a priority. Act like it. This year, protect your chi, your spirit and your love.
There are soooo many ways to make this year better than the last. There’s new food to try, new friends to make, new places to go, new sights to see and new love to give. There’s a whole world out there waiting for you, just as it was last year. In 2020, make sure you leave behind all the things that held you back so that you get your chance to experience it.
But before I go, there’s one last thing I would like to mention:
As important as it is to leave bad habits behind in 2019, it’s also important to remember what the past year gave us. And what is that?
— Understanding.
(Photo courtesy of chasingthestorm.org)
In all honesty, 2019, you weren’t all bad. How gracious you were in letting us know that good things take time. That good things come to those who wait. Good things come when you least expect it but even more eminently, good things come when you need them the most. Please remember, the good times will keep on coming even when it doesn’t feel like it. This year when the going gets tough, make sure to remind yourself that pressure creates diamonds.
It’ll all be worth it in the end. Hang in there.
Sending you all my love and wishing you a happy new year!