2018 felt like the hardest and longest year ever. It feels hard to bounce back.
Some people had lost their loved ones, ruined their relationships, felt like they did not have friends and family to support them, failed tests, or discovered they were in debt. Others earned degrees, but couldn’t find jobs in their fields. Some hated their jobs, some were unable to find better jobs, and some had actually lost their jobs.
Many people got into fights, experienced depression, and were bullied. Some spent too much time on social media, didn’t get enough exercise, and stopped listening to others. Some had trouble finding their soulmate. Others tried to follow all of the latest trends, not realizing that trying to be “trendy” is pointless.
A lot of us had trouble finding ourselves and growing as people, simply because we focused on the negative. You may have thought less of yourself just because your partner chose to leave. You may have felt scared to take risks, to try this new hair color or that new café, to get out and meet new people, and to actually love your life.
We tend to think that everything has to be complicated. But oftentimes, the best answers are the simple ones. We all had some issues that we need to fix, and we have our own strengths and weaknesses, all of which are either the cause or the problem itself. So what is this year 2019 trying to tell us?
We should look forward to new chances, new battles, and new victories.
Bored? Go do something fun. Feeling a little stressed out? Change what you can, and accept what you can’t. Hate your job? Think of something that you’d love doing… even if you didn’t get paid for it. Full of self-doubt? You’re onto something big. Don’t like the way you look? Eat more healthfully, work out more, and accept yourself with all your flaws. Not happy? Help more people. While life can seem overwhelming at times, you have the strength to pull your life in a new direction.
Instead of living vicariously through others, we have to start making the best of our own reality. We have to stop complaining about everything, being too picky, and too stubborn. Stop trying to figure out if you should be the first to say “I love you.”. Stop letting the wrong people enter your life, and allowing them to remain part of it. Start living with purpose; speak up and hope for greatness. Spend more time with your family, and tell them how much you love them.
Ask for help if you need it. Don’t let others’ opinions affect you too deeply. Don’t allow careless people to wound you, and expect them to change their ways. Work on improving yourself instead. And most importantly, don’t give up on your dreams when times get tough.
As the saying goes, “Your hardest times often lead you to the greatest moments of your life.” So go turn your your 2018 lows into your 2019 breakthroughs, because a better you is worth so much more than you know.
