The time of year in which most people decide to cut back on this or do less of that has arrived. "I have T-12 hours until I reinvent myself!" Lets slow down for a moment.
The New Year's resolutions can start today, and every day.
Before you get caught up in saying, " 2016 was not my year" or "I'm done with 2016" evaluate what 2016 has been. Bring to mind any memory you have of the year, and place them into categories. Think of three boxes labeled as such: (1) what helped me grow, (2) what I learned, and (3) what I could do without. In this way, you can become a more reflective thinker and can take away lessons learned.
To jump start your process, I'll take you through mine.
2016 was a year with a great deal of new beginnings each and every day, not just January first. I walked through my old high school day in and day out, absorbing every bit of love and family that special place had to offer. I was told not to take it for granted, and was sure to adhere to that precious bit of advice. I played the sports I love with my teammates for the last time, attended my last prom, and graduated from a place that had always felt like my home. All of those memories seem to sound like sad ones, but that is not the case. Those memories are joyous. They call me back to the places, people, and things I have and always will love. I grew in faith and in love and learned to appreciate my blessings a bit more.
For the middle of 2016 was a place of waiting and wishing. Choosing from different schools, waiting to go, wishing to feel happy wherever I went was the small collection of stress I dealt with on most days. It was also a time well spent with family and friends. This time period was spent largely in prayer and faith that God would lead me to the place in which I belonged at that point in my life. Moving on is never easy, but is empowering upon completion. I can't say whether I have found out exactly why I am where I am, or where I am going. One thing I can say is that I am content knowing that everything happens for one reason or another. This portion of 2016 has pushed me out the door and has forced me to grow as an independent individual, for the better of course. I have learned that baby steps do add up, and that you are stronger than you may believe.
The end of 2016 has not only surprised me, but has also shaped me in ways I never thought possible. I learned to spare and cherish my trust, but never fall short in love and kindness. I have realized more often than not that most people are frail in some part of themselves, including myself. Not every part of a person can be completely put together, and that is okay. The intriguing challenge is to appreciate and accept the parts of people that are damaged or flawed. Those parts make us unique after all. The end of 2016 is perhaps my favorite, but not because it is the end. I have grown in forgiveness and perspective these past few months. I have learned to step into other's shoes and be the bigger person. I have learned to be thankful for what I have encountered, and have tried my best to take something positive from each experience. Even though there were some rocky parts, I wouldn't want to do without them because each has taught me a valuable lesson.
So I encourage you to lay out your year in front of you. Take the good and bad days and keep them safe in your mind for what they have taught you. Just imagine what 2017 can hold.
