No matter your age, the holidays can be full of bittersweet endings but also hopes for the new year’s beginnings. These hopes are something to chase.
The New Year can mean both your toxic friend reminding you that they dislike a certain habit you have, or pressures to “get in shape”, or all your teachers sitting you down to make goals. Regardless, there’s something irresistible about a fresh start.
Even if it does feel awkward to sit down by yourself and make personal goals, or you know that you will never follow through, even simply the reflection that comes along with making goals is highly valuable. The past few years have been very strange and disorienting for many, and it feels like perhaps 2023 is the dawn of a new era. If you don’t feel this way, at least it’s an excuse to check in with yourself.
One effective method for opening your mind is to think of your life in terms of personal health and what I call the productive side. In the personal health category are things that make you happy, and hopefully, aid you in healthy habits. This can include acts of service for your community or family as well. Try to view yourself as a multifaceted individual. Where you put your energy is dependent on both necessity and choice, but even the smallest routines or habits can reframe things that you may have to do out of necessity.
The second category of your productive side stems from a basis of learning. Whether you are someone with a job in the service industry or a full-time student, looking for ways to find interest in learning new corners of your universe builds on your sense of variety. You can always start with big goals and work your way down the ladder with smaller steps, but often especially young people find themselves with a case of misplaced ambition.
Let’s say you are a high school student with little choice in the matter of what you learn. You often find yourself overwhelmed by your homework and struggle to balance a social life with the things you have to do. The best thing you can do is to think about what aspects make you feel proud when you finish them. What areas of school or your social life provide a sense of accomplishment?
In a time when it seems that success and popularity are valued above fulfillment, reminding yourself that you have the ability to place your energy and attention where you wish can be very powerful.
“Courage dear heart,” -C.S Lewis
