We’re well in to January and the new year is officially upon us. Not only is it the beginning of a new year, but it’s the beginning of a new decade. Some will cynically state that the beginning of a new year is not special; that it does not mean a fresh start; that time itself is an arbitrary concept constructed by us humans, and that everyone’s problems from last “year” are still with them, like monkeys on their backs. While some parts of that assessment may be accurate, I refuse to believe that the start of a new year can not be used as a catalyst to help us set new goals and aspirations. I, like many others, believe that a new year can help us break free of our negative cycles and be a reliable beacon of hope and possibility. It might sound cliché, but it’s true.
As I write this, I’m sick with a cold. I’m on a seemingly endless job hunt. As with many others, various things are either wrong or missing in my life. This is not the ideal start that I would choose for my 2020. It would be easy for me to fall in to a negative and nihilistic state of mind (as I have several times in the past) and carry that mindset with me well in to the new year; however, the year has just begun. Although things have been chaotic and less-than-ideal for a little while now, I somehow think 2020 will be a great year. Is that delusional optimism? Maybe, but maybe not. There has to be a reason people make New Year’s resolutions, right?
Last year might have been an amazing one for you. I know that it brought about some great things in my life. A year can hold all kinds of events, experiences and milestones that give us momentum and fulfillment in life. Maybe you bought a new car, graduated from college or got married. Unfortunately, last year may have also been, well, not so great. Maybe you’ve been struggling with depression; maybe you’re experiencing financial troubles and mounting stress at work; maybe you lost a loved one. Whatever the case may be, 2019 was an ebb and flow of positive and negative for everyone on some level.
The good news is that we can take what we’ve learned from our challenges and experiences in 2019 and use those lessons to our advantage in 2020. Each year that passes, regardless of how good or bad it is, leaves us with lasting lessons which we can subsequently apply to the rest of our lives. What did you do right? What did you do wrong? What do you want to do the same? What do you want to do differently? What can you change? What can you not?
You might be feeling regret about some things from last year. Regret can be an especially difficult thing to shake. You might be thinking, I made so many mistakes last year. I messed up so many times and wish I had done so many things differently. That’s the beauty of a new year. You can make it a pivoting point for your regret. Choose to take the lesson with you and leave the regret where it belongs, in 2019 – behind the pivoting point. Don’t let it beat you down. Use its lesson to take positive action. You’ll be stronger and more knowledgeable for doing so.
I won’t lie, I’m a little anxious about 2020. I’m anxious about figuring things out in my life and about what’s happening in the world around me. There may or may not have been some existential dread on January 2. However, more than I’m anxious about 2020, I’m excited about it. I’m eager to use the new year to challenge myself and take good risks. I’m excited to minimize failure and overcome whatever failure ensues. I’m excited to grow as a person and to find personal and professional success. I’m excited to leave behind negativity, false self-narratives and chronic overthinking. Perhaps most of all, I’m eager to pursue constructive activities and things that are meaningful to me.
Tim Ferriss once said, “Remember – boredom is the enemy, not some abstract ‘failure.’” This year should be used to pursue positive things that excite you; things that you’re genuinely interested in. Strive to evade complacency. If you’re already working hard and/or working a lot, you may have to adjust accordingly. I’m not saying to overload yourself with work, nor am I saying to work all the time and make it an “I work too much” or “I work more than you” contest. The former is not efficient and the latter is not respectable.
What I am saying is, go ahead and start that side hustle, hobby, passion project or fitness journey. Focus on your personal wellness. Yes, you’ll have to reasonably balance it with your regular 9-to-5 and personal life, and it may take a long time to figure it out, but it’s better than waiting for the ‘right time.’ Start evaluating, planning and implementing small changes. The right time is now. Happy New Year, everybody.