That time of the year is upon us: the ending. We can now reflect on the past year. There were moments of pure joy, excitement, accomplishments, and new opportunities. There were also moments of heartbreak, goodbyes, loneliness, and mental breakdowns. One cannot reminiscence on the good times without being reminded of the bad. This reaction is inevitable, but it can also inspire a change within yourself. It is a moment to rediscover who you are and what works in your life. This has lead me to re-evaluate what I want to bring into the new year. So, here’s the real question you might be asking yourself: What should I leave behind in 2015?
1. Toxic People.
These are the people who only call you when they need something. The lovers who string you along and leave you with high hopes and trust issues. The friendships that start to feel more like an exhausting activity than they do a tight bond that could never be broken. The new year is a great time to cleanse yourself of all these toxins. You should not feel forced to keep these people in your life, which is why you need to drop them.
2. Self-Destructive Behavior.
This could range from pulling all-nighters just to cram for an upcoming exam to spending every other night binge drinking, resulting in the brutal hangover the next day. I get it, sometimes you don’t beat yourself up over this behavior because somehow you keep going. Does that mean it’s okay? Probably not. In 2016, make sure to dedicate some time for yourself to work on yourself.
3. Bad Grades.
In order to move in to the next semester, we must pass all our classes in the current one. After all, it is time for the bi-annual “Final Grades” Facebook post by your friends and peers. I think it’s great to see so many people making the Dean’s List, but others might feel disappointed in their own academic performance. It’s okay to let these feelings in, but it’s not okay to let them linger into the new year. Brush up on your study skills. Read the chapter for class the next day. Make yourself a competitive scholar. Note: this does require hard work.
4. Fear.
A lot of my choices this year have been influenced by fear. Sometimes this can be a good thing, like not doing something you shouldn’t be doing for the fear of getting caught. This type of fear is driven by your conscience. Yet, there is another type of fear that I’d like to bring to your attention: the fear of change.
Move out of that small town that you claim to hate. Quit that job that you constantly complain about to your friends. Get out of that toxic relationship (refer back to #1). If you find yourself in one or more of these situations then you must ask yourself, why haven’t I done something to change it? It’s because of that four-letter F word: FEAR. Be brave enough to overcome it. I believe in you!
Happy New Year!
