New year, new me they say but in reality it’s the same old unresolved trauma, the same inability to procure a life partner or just a partner in general or the tale as old as time, the same level of procrastination that is engraved onto your DNA like an inherent disease. Anyhow, new year should be a nod to change thyself spiritually and internally, accepting one’s shortcomings and tweaking those flaws to bloom into something beautiful. It’s not something that should be enforced by any external party rather it is something that should surface from within. Change is something that takes years to cultivate as well as propagate. Just as how Mother Gaia goes around Ra every 365 days signifies the birth of another year, each year should signify rebirth and resurgence just as a Phoenix would do rising from the ashes to transform itself into an even more bewitching version of yourself.
Resolutions – A shot in the dark?
The tradition of New Year Resolution often reflects on how an individual would set a goal for the new solar cycle yet fail to comply. I am one such individual who promised himself this year that he’d loose the weight he gained last year just to gain more weight and wallow in a pit of self consciousness. However, this coming year is different. Not just for me but for you, YES! YOU! The one that is reading this right now. Maybe get rid of that bad habit of yours or try working on mitigating it to say the least. Go ask that girl or boy who you’ve been trailing behind for the past few months out. Take this as an opportunity to right your wrongs without turning your wrongs into a regular practice. If I were to reflect on myself during the past year, it was governed by the repetition of the same mistakes I’ve done over and over again during the past years. Whether it’s the oversharing or the fact that I expect too much from others, I have learned my lessons however it doesn’t seem like I’ve successfully passed the exam of life on this solar cycle. I live by the principle that you are responsible for your own demise as well as your own nativity. If that’s the case, I definitely died a few times this year. Nevertheless, with death, rebirth follows. With rebirth, you either make yourself or break yourself. The ball is in your court, you have to choose whether or not you shoot or you play defense. Your resolutions shouldn’t be for the trends. Make sure you implement, turn these resolutions into solutions without utilizing them as empty promises of temporary self gratification.
How do you enforce change?
You can’t enforce change. It’s not something that occurs at a whim. It has to take place spontaneously and gradually. Just how the 4 seasons fluctuate over the course of 4 periodic months, it should come naturally. A story from back when I was a kid, I used to take people’s words too personally. I would often care about what other people have to say about me. That made me a very unhappy kid growing up who was always stuck in this bubble and void of people pleasing leeching off other people’s validation. I can’t say that quality of mine has diminished however over the years, I’ve become accustomed to it. I care less of what other people have to say and that has definitely turned me into a happier individual. As a kid, I was insecure about my weight. I was a chubby kid with asthma growing up. But, I took initiative over the recent years to improve myself not for others but for that little me who had to deal with all those issues growing up. I know there’s still quite a long way to go. The important part is it’s progressing. I’m much for comfortable in my own skin. This isn’t a sob story rather it is a story of redemption. How I took every new year as an opportunity to alter myself for my own pure betterment. That is the true definition of a new year. New improvements each year unlike every iPhone model where the only difference maker is the size of the camera lens.
The beauty of New Year’s
Days, years, months all take it’s course in the test of time. On the other hand, no matter how much the years go by, the wonderful memories that I’ve made with the people I love will always remain stagnant in my heart as well as my cerebral cortex. One thing I’ve learned this year is the art of letting go of the past. Yes, the past does teach you how to prevent yourself from further misdoings nevertheless, your past shouldn’t define you as an individual. You are much more than a bundle of bottled trauma and despair. It does manifest when you expect it the least, it is important that these are mere moments of vulnerability and not who you truly are. So trust me when I say this, live in the present. Make wonderful memories with wonderful people who give you value. Yes, people leave. They drift away like the wind that carried them towards your solitary pathway. Remember, it is important to live and cherish the moment while it happens. You’ll never know how much you miss a moment unless it’s gone. It surfaces as sentiments of longing. To prevent that, learn to let go. The lessons you’ve learned during the past years would act as precursors to the change you build up this coming year.
Before anything, face within yourself, don’t let this year serve as an apology for last year’s misdemeanour. Let it serve as a reminder for growth, that there’s beauty in the struggle and that beauty is shown in the person who you bloom into in this new year. That is the true spirit and essence of the new year’s time.
Written by : Yeran Fernando
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