The New Year: Looking Back & Forward

#NewYearNewMe!

This is the mantra that takes over the media as one year comes to an end and another one begins. Often, this “New Me” represents one that will begin dieting, exercising more, and fulfilling high, often unattainable expectations. The “New Me” is a more perfect version of its flawed counterpart. Although meant to inspire change for the better, this “New Year New Me” idea inadvertently leads to the scrutinizing of our shortcomings that need so-called resolving.

But what if we were good enough already? What if we took a moment to acknowledge how far we have come instead of how far we still have left to go? Is that so crazy?

So, as 2017 ends, instead of looking at all the goals you have yet to accomplish, take time out of your day to recognize your completed success and progress. As I look back on my year, I am proud of how much I have grown as a person….I allowed myself to be vulnerable to the world in order to catalyze positive change. I continued to walk the beautiful, scenic road of recovery, gaining a newfound momentum of self-love and acceptance. I applied my “Numbers Don’t Define Us” philosophy to my own life when I experienced disappointment and deferral. I weathered storms, enjoyed the gift of the present, and persevered.

Unfortunately, the focus of the New Year has often been to “improve” physical health as opposed to facing the new chapter with a mentally-healthy mindset. The emphasis lies in what we should be doing as opposed to our emotional wellness. However, I believe that the most effective way to ensure a happier and brighter new year is to commit ourselves to a certain state of being.

This New Year, Project HEAL has launched a social campaign, #HEAL2018, in order to emphasize that it is our mentality that will guide us as we continue our journeys. Project HEAL has asked everyone to choose one word, one all-encompassing flashlight to light our paths in 2018, that will serve to inspire how we strive to live.

My word for the New Year is “exploration.” I want to explore untouched ideas, to truly see the world, and to discover passion in unexpected places. I want to discover the infinite beauty of the universe. I want to live with an open-mind, venturing to the realm of the unknown.

What goals have you accomplished, extrinsic or intrinsic, this past year? And what is the word that you will live by in the coming year?

As the sun sets on 2017 and rises on 2018, I wish you all an amazing year to come, one filled with happiness, laughter, and love. And as always, continue to remember that Numbers Don’t Define Us!

Simran BansalComment