Gentle Reminders As We Say Goodbye To 2021 And Welcome 2022

Remember, stay kind to yourself.

Even though there are going to be plenty of people bragging about what they accomplished this year, avoid comparing your journey to theirs. You should be proud of yourself for making it through this year when it’s been so stressful on your mental health. Getting to this point is an accomplishment. You’ve fought through so many hardships. You’ve experienced so much pain. But you’re still standing here today. You should be proud of yourself for that, even if you haven’t crossed off every item on your list of goals. You still have next year.

Remember, timelines are nonexistent.

2022 seems like a wildly large number. It’s scary to think about how quickly time is moving, but you need to pace yourself. Don’t assume it’s too late to accomplish your dreams. And don’t push yourself to the point of burnout because you feel like you’re behind and are struggling to catch up. Move at your own pace. Eventually, you are going to reach your goals if you continue forward. Don’t give up on yourself. Don’t let your doubts overpower your passions. Keep going and you’ll get there.

Remember, success can be measured in a million different ways.

Maybe you didn’t meet your career goals this year, but you spent more time with your family and made unexpected new friends. Maybe you didn’t get a raise, but you created a better work/life balance that has kept you happier and healthier. Or maybe you found a new hobby that brings you joy, or you started going to therapy and taking better care of your mental health. Even though you might feel like 2021 wasn’t a successful year for you in the traditional sense, you probably accomplished more than you realize.

Remember, set goals that you are in charge of completing yourself.

You can’t control other people and you can’t control certain circumstances. All you can control is yourself. That’s why you should move into the new year thinking of ways you can improve yourself, personally. Set a goal to write a certain number of words, but not to get published. Set a goal to go on a certain number of dates, but not to find the love of your life. If those extra things happen, that’s wonderful. But you can’t control them. Make sure most of your goals are things you have power over so you don’t get discouraged when what you want isn’t working out.

Remember, you can start over at any time.

Everyone uses the new year as an opportunity to start fresh – but don’t feel pressured to make big changes if you aren’t ready for them. You can change your life at any point in time. You don’t have to wait until January. You can get engaged or break up or start a new job whenever the mood strikes you. Even though it’s wonderful to set new goals in the new year, it’s okay if the only thing you want to do is relax. You’ve earned it.