“A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach
If you are anything like me, the end of the year often feels like a limp toward the finish line. However, many times I start off the year with a view to regulating my schedule, to making sure to keep checking in with myself, and to ensuring that I keep a close eye on my mental health, the wheels always seem to come off at the end.
That being said, the more we look in on ourselves, how we live and how we approach challenges, the more we get used to practising self-awareness. The more we learn about ourselves. Perhaps one day I will arrive in December in a calm and orderly manner. The only way that is going to happen is to keep trying. To keep recommitting to a new page. A fresh start. And so, I embark upon my new year mental clear-out… again.
1. What Negatives Do I Need to Let Go Of?
Last year, I hung onto a job I wanted but didn’t get for about six months. It dragged me down, personally and professionally for far too long. I wish I had let it go in the new year. I wish I had taken the time to appreciate that it was only serving to hold me back. Are there any grievances or disappointments that are no longer serving you living in your head? Ready to get rid of them yet?
2. Which Habits Aren’t Working for Me?
Do you recognise any habits that are ultimately doing you an injustice? I know I do. My big one for this year is the ease with which I slip into procrastination. This leads to me doing work that should, for example, take me two days, but takes me three. I have to find a way to optimise my time, and not waste it with both scrolling and the anxiety of having wasted it at all. I’m still working on an answer, but the first step is knowing the question.
3. Relationships
I’m not in the habit of ‘ditching’ people. However, I certainly like to reflect on how the people I spend time with make me feel, and whether I agree with the way they make me feel. My social time is limited, and there are people I neglected last year. I like to try and prioritise those people who make me feel good, but also those to whom I can bring positive impact.
4. How is my Media Consumption Affecting Me?
I listen, watch and interact with various forms of media. Music, podcasts, movies, T.V. games and books, I like them all. However, when I look back on what I consumed last year, it is very clear to me what was good for me and what wasn’t. I need a fresh look at my media habits. I have to find a way of scrolling less and reading more. Although the short-term benefits of social media are undoubtedly there, I would be so much better nourished by hours spent with a book I like. And I do like books! I also listened to a lot of news and politics last year. I like to be informed, but actually, focusing intently on the woes of the world too much didn’t do my mental health any good. Less political punditry this year, I think!
By Chris Thomson
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