It’s finally over. The year of change, the year of worsts, and the year we’ve hoped would come to an end. “Yay” for no more of 2020, and an even bigger “yay” for a fresh start in 2021. In all reality, that horrid year was only a few days ago, and this new year may or may not bring new change that we all are desperately hoping for and in need of. Yet, we are very hopeful, and we are in need of some good fortune now, of all times.
Many people use the start of a new year to get back into touch again with their core values, set bigger and better personal goals, and challenge themselves to stick to a certain agenda until they see results in their lives they desire. These New Year resolutions can be anything from going on a diet to lose weight, working out more often to increase strength or fitness, reading books or materials to increase knowledge and intelligence, exploring one’s own mind and soul, or being a better friend, listener, and overall person. Whatever the specifics are, I believe that these resolutions are just goals. Goals to better oneself, to challenge the boundaries people place on themselves. Goals that can create a change in the life of someone for the better. Goals that are meant to initiate growth on all levels – physically, mentally, and (my favorite) spiritually.
These goals give hope to people, allowing us to start anew. The New Year is a reason to set and work towards these goals. January 1st is just a normal day, except that it’s a day which reestablishes a connection between us and our inner selves that only we personally can understand and strengthen.
Why do we wait until January 1st of a new year to create these resolutions, though? Why do we only wish to challenge ourselves if we have a specific start date? And how many of us, honestly, last an entire 365 days, day-in and day-out, living up to those goals we set for ourselves on the first day of the year? It is a concept of time that we humans have set in our lives. We think that we can only begin if it’s the start of a new year, or if we have a set schedule to go off of and begin with. Well, that is rarely ever how life goes. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – time is relevant, and time is precious. Although humans are made to live within a routine, a schedule, a set-in-stone pattern, there are obstacles that appear and alter our lives’ pathway. Life happens. So be it. How much control do we have over those things? Not much, honestly. Yet, how much control do we have over ourselves and what we can do with our time, to move forward, to grow through the things we go through? A whole lot of it.
Starting over doesn’t have to only take place on January 1st and setting personal goals to spark growth in our lives isn’t something that has to happen on one day and one day only. As Hadlie Rittgers stated in her Kiowa County Independent contribution a few weeks ago, these actions should happen year-round. We as individuals should always be looking for opportunities for change, growth, and progress. Setting and achieving goals throughout the year should be followed by more goal setting and achieving. Doing so allows for us to grow as people, while still living life to the fullest potential. Because of this mentality, I believe that if I’m not growing, then I’m not living to my fullest potential.
My goals at the moment, not the year, are to become more confident with myself, physically, mentally, and spiritually. I’ve set goals to narrow down what I want in my future. I’ve told myself to wake up every day with a good mental attitude: today is a good day to have a great day. I’ve set goals to challenge myself day-in and day-out, 25 hours a day, 8 days a week.
These goals are just some on the long list of goals I have for my future, and I hope that your list is just as lengthy. I challenge you to challenge yourself, push your limits, set new goals, achieve them, then set harder goals, and then achieve those. You have total control over what you do with your precious time, and how much you want to improve yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually. So, it’s all up to you now – how much you want to grow, and how hard you’re going to push yourself until you achieve your goals. Most of all, it’s up to you to make this year as great of a year as you want it to be.
