2021 is almost here and the battle with COVID doesn’t seem to go away any time soon. It is these difficult times that make us reflect upon our lives – past, present, and future. It is certainly difficult to keep your and your loved ones’ spirits up, but you must try your best to look at the goodness in your life to keep yourself motivated and happy. Difficult days do not last forever, but your positivity will help you bear the problems with a smile.
Remember, mental health is the biggest wealth. You can have all comforts but if you are not mentally healthy and at peace, all your comforts are useless. You must prioritize your mental and physical well-being over worrying about imaginary or futuristic events. The best part is that it is not difficult to obtain a positive outlook on your life. We have discussed few very simple things that we don’t usually consider important, but they are, in fact, great for our sub-conscious thinking to remove the negative thoughts, anxiety, fear, and all such negative emotions. They will help you temporarily forget the worries caused by the COVID situation and prepare for the holidays and the upcoming year with optimism.
1. Gratitude
Research shows that gratitude has the potential to reduce stress and anxiety and promote one’s physical and mental well-being. People who are grateful and recognize the positives in their life are less likely to face depression, anxiety, alcohol or nicotine dependence, and drug abuse. If you have children, it is a great way of making them realize the privileges they have and accept them. It also inculcates humility in kids and adults alike.
There are two easy ways of expressing gratitude every day. First is the “three things” method where you make a list of three things that happened to you or you achieved in the course of the day or in general in your life. They could be the smallest things as making the perfect cup of coffee or hugging your dog; it doesn’t matter as long as it is something that makes you happy. You could write them in a notebook for the bad days, as a reminder that there are good things and good days too. You can also do this with your kids and the entire family as a family exercise. You don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving; be grateful for every day and every little good moment.
Another way is to make a list of ten things that you are most grateful for and putting the list up on a wall or door such that it is very plainly in sight. Read your list first thing in the morning. This technique helps uplift your mood for the day to come, especially when you know it is going to be a tough day. It is your personal little boost of motivation, self-love, and thankfulness.
2. Self-reflection
The new year is almost here, and before you move forward to plan your next step, it is always better to reflect on how your life has been in the past year. Think of how it has been – positive, negative, or neutral, and why. Think of all the new things that happened this year and how you felt about them. List all your accomplishments and all the things that you wish went differently. Reminisce on the goals you achieved, the most enjoyable and grateful moments, and the challenges you faced. Plan on how you could use these experiences to overcome possible obstacles in the next year and the lessons you have obtained from your experiences.
After you have looked back on the past year, use that knowledge to figure out what the most important things in your life are, and what you would like to hold on to or move past. Think of the people who have been in your life this year and how you would like your relationships with them to be in the future. Try to understand your main objectives in life and the ways you might work on them in the upcoming year to achieve these goals. Focus on what matters and what doesn’t, so you can spend your time more constructively. Envision your year and how you would like to feel at the end of the next year. You could write these thoughts down if you want to, so you can remind yourself of the bigger picture of your life whenever you feel lost or unmotivated. It is certainly very important to try to make our lives better. We can always complain about the things that went wrong, but it is always in our hands to make them better.
3. SMART Resolutions
New Year resolutions are something we make every year, but most of us fail to stick to them all year. We might decide to start going to the gym but we get tired or bored with it in the first few months and quit. We also sometimes let other seemingly more important things overtake the small goals we set for us, such as a deadline at work. It is great to set goals for yourself, but the true sense of accomplishment comes when you actually work on it till the end of the year. It indeed requires immense dedication and self-motivation but nothing is too difficult once you set your mind to it.
The best way to go about sticking to your resolutions is to set simple resolutions in the first place. Do not set too high goals for yourself. The trick here is not just doing the tasks for a few days, but working on them throughout the year and nailing them! Attempt to move out of your comfort zone and try to achieve things you have been wanting to do since forever. It is time to go on that hike you have been dreaming of, or learn the instrument you love watching people play on YouTube.
When you set these goals, remember to follow the SMART tactic i.e. set Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely goals. Don’t keep them vague e.g. if you want to lose weight, plan to run for 30 minutes, and eat healthy to reduce your weight by a pound every week. Another way is to set a high goal that you might consider difficult but you really want to do, such as saving to buy the car you have been planning to buy. Then work backward to save a set amount every week or every month. Eventually, even if you fall short of achieving your goal, you would have become closer to it than you were ever before and that will further motivate you to actually achieve it. You may have to give up some aspects of your life to achieve these goals, but you know it will be worth it in the end.
So, don’t give up, keep working hard, and there is no mountain you can’t climb. If not today, you will surely succeed tomorrow. Remember to not be harsh on yourself or overconfident. Give yourself time, understand your thoughts and emotions, and plan your year accordingly. It may not always go according to your plan, but the most important thing is to never give up. You can always start fresh the next day. If you had decided to run for 30 minutes and have been unable to do so for a week, start again next week. Once you set a routine, it will be easy to incorporate it into your daily life. Be grateful, loving, and gentle to yourself. You matter more than anything else, so it is always your happiness and mental health over anything else.
