It’s a new year and a new start. Today is a fresh page in the story of your life.
For many of us, the past year was full of surprises, new opportunities, blessings, great health, and joy. The optimists have already listed and organized their goals for the new year, and are ready to start crossing them off. However, some of us felt that 2016 was overwhelming, filled with unexpected sickness or loss, full of disappointment, or hope deferred. Many self-critics are focusing on the unmet goals and the things that didn’t happen or change.
If you found yourself at a crossroads in 2016, don’t worry. It’s normal to look back and evaluate, celebrate, or feel over or underwhelmed by the past year. So much can change in a year. As one ends, and a new one begins, it can stir up many unexpected emotions. If that’s you, you’re in good company. Some of the greats paved the way before us. Remember Walt Disney? He was fired early on from a newspaper because he “lacked creativity.” Or Thomas Edison? Teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” What about Abraham Lincoln? He failed at business several times.
Brene Brown says it great in her book, Rising Strong, “Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do. I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time. Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”
Remember, today is a fresh page in your story. You can choose to write it any way you want to. So, give yourself some grace (a little break). You are only human. Sometimes, you will rise and sometimes, you will fall. If you fall and get knocked down, get back up and keep going. Make a goal this year to do the best you can. After all, it’s a new year and your chance to be exactly who you want to be. 2015 was practice. 2016 was a warm up. 2017 is your year!
Go and get it. Write your story!
