5 Things You Can Do to Make 2023 a Great Year for You
It’s a choice you have to make.
The first month of the year 2023 is quickly coming to an end.
Maybe the year didn’t start as you expected.
It certainly didn’t for me. Three days into the new year and feeling unwell I tested positive for Covid and found myself in isolation for the next couple of weeks.
I was initially despondent and felt such a start to the year would end the grand plans I had laid out. During my recovery time, I had the opportunity to truly think about what makes a year great.
Purchasing a home, especially if it is your first can be an ecstatic experience, or maybe you are purchasing a car, going on a dream vacation.
These are all great experiences, the excitement will eventually wear away leaving you chasing the next great “high”. So how do you truly make 2023 a great year.
Stop waiting to be happy — “When I do this, when I get this job, when I get this partner, when I live here”. Notice it all starts with “when” which indicates a period of “waiting to be happy”. Sadly in waiting to be happy even when these significant milestones and more are achieved there is still the unending chase for more and different to feel happy.
If you got up today and you are alive, that is sufficient to be happy.
You may be facing health, financial, stressful environment, whatever it may be.
However, there is still purpose in your existence.
Look for the things we consider “small” to celebrate.
Maybe someone unexpectedly delivered a bag of grocery or you were able to enjoy a day outside with nice weather. Get up and give thanks.
Waiting for an event or events to create happiness leads to it constantly being temporary. Instead create gratitude in each moment of your existence.. that is where true and lasting happiness begins.
Do something that scares you — outside your comfort zone
I shake even as I write this, as I am preparing to do such myself.
It isn’t easy but truly living isn’t by staying in the safe zone. Life opens doors when you dare to step out. It may be simple as going back to college, starting a business, joining a support group, reaching out and asking for help, which you may never have done before.
Do something because a life worth living is not always one with a predictable and safe pattern.
Accept the uncertainty of life and don’t worry about what may happen, do what you can now.
As we look around our world, there is trepidation — rise in Covid cases , unemployment, unending war.
Should you watch news throughout the day, it can be at times distressing.
Considering what may happen a week or a month from now only erodes the present peace.
Focus on what you can do now, because tomorrow isn’t promised.
It is often said of the many things we worry about, only 20% of it actually, if at all occur.
Living in worry land will do nothing to help.
Commit to positivity from your own self and others — accept only such and clear your space of negativity — You may be saying but there is nothing to be positive about.
I am certain if you pause and look around you will find at least one positive thing.
The environment and persons we expose ourselves to become us.
Choosing to be positive in a chaotic and ever changing world requires effort — sometimes moment by moment, but you can choose what you say to you.
You have no control over what others may say to you.
You do have control over what you say to yourself!
So why not choose to say something positive.
Rather than, “I will not ever complete my education”, for example. Say “this is the year I will graduate,” even though you may not have the finances nor be aware of how you will even source it.
Saying it will not necessarily cause a change immediately but the more you say, it is the more you believe and soon enough it does change — sometimes much more magnificent than you can imagine.
Choosing positivity will mean letting go of persons and things who seek to keep you despondent.
It may not be easy but as you clear your space and self of negativity you will see the positive running in .
Choose positivity.
Appreciate you — We sometimes shame ourselves repeatedly beating up on who we believe we want to be and not accepting who we are.
Sure you have made mistakes along the way hurting yourself and others.
The mistakes have brought you to this place of growth and once we are alive and open to learning we will grow.
If you don’t appreciate you, then how can someone else truly appreciate you?
Yes there are regrets and mistakes, take them learn from them and do better in the future.
When is the last time — if ever, you have looked at yourself in the mirror and truly said “I appreciate you”.
Do so today and step out knowing that you can add value to others effectively only when you do so for yourself.
We don’t know what 2023 will offer.
What YOU can do is be grateful for each moment of life, step out of safe zone, commit to positivity and appreciate who you have become.
