The year’s winding up and I’m eagerly waiting for the new one to kick in. We’re only a few hours away from it and I haven’t stopped thinking about how quickly this year passed by and all that it had to offer. Amongst all things good and bad that happened, the one thing that got me thinking harder is when my yoga teacher said this morning about focusing on those things which we did this year and would like to continue doing in the upcoming year, and letting some things go if we haven’t already done so. Ah! That’s pretty thought provoking. There have been things I started doing only this year which bring me immense joy and I would certainly love to continue with them as long as I can. But it took me a while to figure out what was it that I should have stopped doing and should consciously avoid in the next year.
In the beginning of this year till way past the middle of it, I felt trapped in a job I didn’t like. I noticed how it started changing me as a person and affecting a lot of things in my life. None of which was positive. After a point, when priorities and greater responsibilities stared back hard at me, I knew I had to quit to focus on myself. Best decision of the year. It opened doors to broadening my horizons and my mind to other opportunities and possibilities I never even had the bandwidth to think of before.
I have often found myself to be a people pleaser and realised that in an attempt to make everyone happy, I have ended up making myself feel miserable several times. May it be in terms of devoting time to someone, taking someone’s advise about something or keeping my opinions to myself to avoid disagreements. However, I’ve come to realise that the secret to happiness is well within us and can be used diligently by safeguarding our self interest. This may sound like a very selfish revelation but the more you learn to let go of what others think about you, the easier it is to make yourself and the ones around you happy, without any compromises.
The sooner we realise that there are some things within our control and some, not, it’s easier for us to accept people or situations better. This year I’ve struggled to make sense of why some people behave a certain way and I’ve let a huge part of my mind be occupied with those thoughts only to realise much later that none of that was within my control and all I could do was either put up with it or ignore. The latter has helped me follow my previous lesson of not being a people pleaser anymore and letting some things be as they are. In the end, all that matters is that relationships are maintained well.
While new year resolutions are usually a standard part of year end plans and we find ways to enrich our lives and make them more meaningful, the most important point to focus on would be to find our balance in everything we do. Knowing what to eliminate is equally important to strike that balance. Finding ways to a happier, healthier and positive life is a goal I’m always striving hard to achieve which automatically brings my attention back to maintaining that balance. Know it. Do it. And roll into the new year with a better sense of acknowledgement.