Looking Forward

At the beginning of each new year, most of us set intentions or resolutions that we would like to apply to our own lives as a way to improve upon them. With 2020 behind us, this year hasn’t been much different in that regard; however, the resolutions I keep hearing vary from person to person.

Of course, you have a handful of people that decide on the same resolutions they had set the year prior like losing weight or eating better. But most are homing in on resolutions that revolve around one thing… hope. The hope that this new year will bring better days for us all. The hope that those that have lost loved ones because of a raging pandemic can heal. The hope that we can address societal issues that have long been present but have also been ignored. The hope that we as a society can find ways to come together and stop being so divided. We are all people after all.

Although I am committed to moving forward in my personal life, I cannot deny that I do not wish to simply forget 2020 or to start this new year with a completely clean slate. The things I experienced – like being socially isolated in my studio apartment 24/7 – have given me a new perspective that I am actually grateful for.

On a personal level, I do not set traditional new year resolutions anymore like “finding a quality romantic partner” or “buying that lucrative car I’ve had my eyes on.” I am a believer of constantly reassessing what actions can add value to my life and to the lives of people around me. I’m also committed to finding ways to grow as a person – not just starting on January 1st. This active process ensures that actual changes take place in my life.

One of the many things the time of corona – as I call it – has taught me is to expand my perception, and to listen to what I really want to get out of this life. After all, we only get one chance at this. If you’d like, you can call my shift in outlook an awakening of sorts, or a form of enlightenment. On my end, I do not give it a name but how I savor this newfound feeling!

Growing up, I was taught that I should desire the capitalist dream. Go to college – check! Get a dream job with a good salary – check! Travel around the world – check! Move up the corporate latter – currently in progress… or is it?

The thing about having loads of alone time is that it challenges you in more ways than one. When I was alone with my thoughts, I realized that the “American dream” is not necessarily what I wanted after all. If moving up the corporate ladder is what brings forth happiness, then why did I feel so trapped? Why – in the days where I could go out to restaurants and bars – did I spend multiple days a week going to happy hours to numb myself?

In early 2021, I stumbled across two concepts that fascinated me: minimalism and simple living. Minimalism simply encourages practitioners to live with fewer material possessions so that their attention can pivot to meaningful connections while simple living is about having intentional focus on the things that actually bring us joy – not the things we are told bring us joy. Like let’s say a six-figure income.

The moment I sat down to actually listen to these ideologies and internalize them, I knew that I wanted to incorporate them into my life in some variety. When I was 17, I moved away from my hometown because I knew that I wouldn’t be able to obtain wealth there. The thing is, wealth is not synonymous with happiness. Although I see that now, it has taken me 20+ years to come to that realization.

So, how will I implement my learnings in order to obtain a healthier lifestyle in 2021? I intend to embody certain aspects of both minimalism and slow living. I am going to actively find opportunities that actually make me happy, and allot more time to the people I love the most… people I have forsaken because of my previous desire of professional advancement. I plan on getting to know myself outside of what I’ve been taught and to find ways to be a better member of my community. The work starts within and, this year, I am willing to commit fully in order to be closer to both personal wholeness and healing.