As we head into the new year many of us will be making those resolutions, even though we know statistically we will fail them.
Instead of making a resolution you have a good chance of failing, maybe this year should be about acceptance.
It’s always good to have goals, and of course growth is a very important part of life, but sometimes we get so caught up in being better we don’t notice how well we are already doing.
2020 was a rough year, there is no disputing that. But 2021 might have been even more difficult. Sure, we have a vaccine for that nasty virus, we started to get things a little back to normal and socializing was definitely good for the soul; but unlike before the pandemic, those things came with added stresses we didn’t have before.
We could go back to our schools now which was a definite relief, but there were new protocols put into place and the constant worry of exposure. Wearing masks and social distancing are not bad things, but they are constant reminders we are not quite where we once were.
Family and friends have come together again but there is still division, to vaccinate or not to vaccinate, and this battle is ruining relationships. The fight between nature and science rages on but it’s more personal now than ever.
It’s easy to assume since we can socialize again, our mental health issues are improving, but that’s not entirely true either. The battle within one’s own mind on whether or not they should go out or stay in also weighs heavy. Many of us are still questioning if we should isolate ourselves or not for the betterment of our communities.
A lot of us were very hopeful this year would be better than the last, and for many of us, maybe it was. But the challenges that were presented were still very difficult and we shouldn’t pretend they didn’t exist.
So, this year, maybe give yourself a little credit for just making it through. If you have a goal of losing weight, saving more money, getting those projects done around the house, that’s great, those are things that keep us going sometimes. But if you make it through the end this month and discover you haven’t accomplished or even started on any of those goals, give yourself some grace. Because you’re still here and you’re still adding value to others’ lives, even if you don’t realize it.
Right now, that’s enough.