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2020 has been a difficult year for all of us. For some of us, we struggled with dealing with the pandemic and our own mental health. As we enter a new year, we should look at it with a positive outlook. We should think of it as a fresh start, a new chapter in our lives, a new year to improve who we are. Here are five ways to start the year right.
1. Create a New Year’s Resolution
We have experienced a lot of struggles this year, which may have caused some stress for some of us. If you are like me, you might be looking forward to the new year, excited that this year is finally ending. However, even with all the challenges we experienced, there is a lot that we could learn from this year.
One way to start the new year off right is to make a New Year’s resolution, jotting down things that we want to improve about ourselves or what we hope to do in the future. When we set goals for ourselves or write down things we want to try, it gives us something to look forward to. This can give us hope that this incoming year will be different, that great things will happen to us, even if we are uncertain about the future.
2. Reflect about 2020
As much as we would like to put this year behind us, we must look back at this year and think about how this year changed us, and how we dealt with certain situations. We may not look back at this time with fond memories, but there is always something we can learn from this time.
When we reflect on this time, we can learn things about ourselves that we might not have known before and what we did right or wrong this year.
This can give us ideas on what to put on our New Year's resolution, think about what we want to change about ourselves, and even what we want to do better this incoming year.
3. Celebrate Everything Good that Happened
No matter how stressful this year may have been, there is always something to celebrate and look forward to, whether it be getting a good grade this school year or surviving this year.
When we celebrate this coming year, we should also celebrate everything good that has happened to us and what we have accomplished. That even amidst all the struggles we may have faced this year, there were moments that lifted your spirits and made you smile. This can make you feel optimistic, and by keeping that spirit and energy alive, you will definitely be starting off the year on a positive note.
4. Be Grateful
This year, I was brought on an emotional rollercoaster. There were days where I enjoyed myself and weeks where I sulked in my stress, bringing my spirits down. With my spirits low, this affected my mentality, and I tended to focus on the negative things that happened to me. I forgot about the blessings that happened to me.
I would be reminded by my family, many times, that there was always something to look forward to, and that I was very lucky. I was blessed to be in the comfort of my home, safe, and sound with my family, to be healthy, not contracting COVID-19. Count your blessings, be grateful for everything that you have, big and small. Don’t take anything for granted, not everyone may be as fortunate as you, and remember that just being safe and even alive is an achievement in itself.
5. Smile
This year I was brought on an emotional rollercoaster, feeling happy, at times, stressed, and frustrated, especially when I was doing online classes. I think one thing that I didn’t do enough, and maybe barely did, was smile. When you smile, it can help lighten the mood and make you feel good even when you are blue.
As we ring in the new year, I think what we should all do is smile so that we can radiate joy into our homes. This has been a stressful year, so by smiling and being happy, you can just live in the moment and enjoy your time. You can forget all your worries and fears and leave that all behind you. Hopefully, smiling will make you optimistic and set a positive tone during the New Year and the rest of your year.
We may not know what the future holds for us, but as we enter 2021, I hope we begin this year on the right foot. That this new year will be better for all of us.