Perhaps it is just me, but 2012 seemed a bit pessimistic and certainly tumultuous for Americans.While this year had some great things occur, the bad seemed to unfortunately take the lead…the not-so-great things are what seem to be at the forefront of people’s minds as of late.
Like many people, I am tired of that way of thinking and I am ready for this year to end and a new, fresh year to begin. As 2013 prepares to make its debut, it is important that we begin the New Year as upbeat and optimistically as we possibly can. In order to do so, I have a few suggestions that will help you throughout your journey next year.
Abandon the fear
There have been several tragic events occur in America throughout 2012. As unfortunate and scary as those events were, we must not let them consume us. Fear should never conquer us. While I have publically admitted how uncomfortable the random shootings and other acts of violence make me feel, I also know that fear is not of the God that I serve. While horrific acts such as the shooting in the movie theater or the unthinkable tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut may take people’s lives, we can not let such instances take away our way of life.
While it seems as if we can’t go to church, movies, schools or even put out fires without our lives endangered by gunmen; we can not stop doing such normal activities. We have to live life to the fullest each day, and if that includes going to the movies, church, or anywhere else you desire – than do it.
Say bye-bye to the baggage
In 2000, Erykah Badu released a song titled “Bag Lady.” The song was about a woman who, while in a new relationship, ultimately destroyed it because she had too much baggage. The underlining message was to “pack light” by letting go of the baggage. That song is one that has the distinct ability to resonate with millions of people – regardless of genre preference – because of its strong and ultra clear message.
The creative way Badu encouraged the subject of her song to pack light, can also apply to different aspects of our own lives. So many of us have made mistakes in the past, been hurt deeply, or been completely taken advantage of…the list could go on and on.
What can not go on is the way we carry those things around. It is important in life to lighten our load by letting go of aspects of our past. We should use any bad or unpleasant experiences as learning lessons and then move forward. As 2013 approaches, lighten your load by abandoning all those “heavy” things from your past and keep your eyes (and your perspective) towards a lighter and more positive future.
Be grateful
With the doom and gloom of recent events, it can sometimes be easy to forget how good we have it. If for nothing else but the breath that is exiting our bodies, we are fortunate because there is someone who did not wake up today. It is so important to move forward in a spirit of gratefulness. As I type these words it is 11:30 pm on Christmas Day and I, along with two other very dedicated Recorder workers are at the office working to finish the paper in advance of what meteorologists are predicating will be a very bad snow storm; possibly even a blizzard.
So while the three of us left our families to come to work, we are still grateful. Grateful, yes to have a job, but it is even deeper than that. We discussed how grateful we are to be part of an institution that at 117-years-old has seen so much…far more than a winter storm. This paper has been burglarized and all its computers stolen, received countless threats from the Ku Klux Klan during socially tense times, and this paper has been on the brink of bankruptcy a few different times. Yet it not only perseveres, but it does so without missing a printing.
The New Year can be filled with as much promise as you allow yourself to imagine. You set the tone for the direction these next 12 months will take you. Here’s wishing you many blessings for 2013. Happy New Year!
