Whew! If you’re reading this you’ve made it through another year. Like last year, this one also brought many challenges as we are still navigating our way through the pandemic. At some points, I’m sure that merely surviving the days, weeks, and months felt like the only option. The whole world seems to be in survival mode. For 2022, let’s change that. While the pandemic is still here, there are ways that we can continue living.
It could be helpful to begin reflecting over the past year and thinking through how surviving did not allow you to reach certain goals. Do these goals need to be modified? Are there new goals that fit better with your life? If we set goals, we force ourselves to live through experiences to achieve them. This is a step away from survival mode and into a direction that makes living possible.
Once goals are established, there has to be action steps to move you closer to your goal. What can you begin doing immediately to get started? Getting started can be the toughest part and can involve many emotions. If you find yourself stuck, think about why your goal is important to you and the reasons that you set it in the first place. A lot of times we sabotage ourselves by setting too many goals or making large actions steps. This can make getting started daunting or we might burn out really quickly and have no energy to continue pursuing our goals. They key is to start small and to work your way up.
It is natural to want to set goals for the new year but remember that a new year does not erase the past. When we get trapped in this mindset we tend to forget the past and have the mentality that starting from scratch is best. This mindset can sabotage us because it can cause us to forget to use our past to inform present/future decisions. For example, if we tried to set goals in previous years and have not reached them, it might be worth looking at past errors and seeing what needs to change. Or, we may have made progress that we discount when a new year rolls around. Take the progress you have made and feed off of it by continuing to do what has worked.
Another thing to focus on this year is being mindful. Be in the present and enjoy these moments as these moments will fill your year. When we focus too much on the past or future we lose sight of what is important to us right now. Being stuck outside of the present moment puts you back into survival mode rather than living life.
Lastly, continue to give yourself grace. Being in a pandemic brings on so many emotions as everything feels unpredictable and chaotic at times. There will be times when getting through the day is the only thing you can manage. This is okay! Have awareness to notice this and avoid allowing yourself to stay there for long periods. Your mental health is a priority and you deserve to live life in a way that brings you peace, happiness, and joy.
If you find yourself in the pattern of surviving and cannot see a way out, I encourage you to seek professional help.