Can you believe it’s 2022? Tbh, I can’t. I’m still writing 2021, but who doesn’t do that? Anyway, with each new trip around the sun we cite the mantra “New Year, New Me!” Now I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. Goals in my opinion are meant to be ongoing and continually evolving. I have them, but it seems fruitless to tie my expectations to the calendar.
That being said, as 2021 ended and I reflected on the past year, I knew I needed to do something different this year. I’ve resolved to pay more attention to my mental health, and it starts with a few small things.
Write!
Do you know what happened when we went into our first lockdown last spring (oops, two springs ago—how is that possible)? I wrote a book. Well, a draft, and not a very good one of those, but one I’d been aspiring to write for almost 10 years. I’ve never been as engaged with my writing as I was then, and I’ve yearned to be ever since. Writing is a huge part of my identity and ever since I changed my career I’ve felt that part of myself slipping away. I may not be writing as much as I once was, but my goal for this year is to write more than I did last year. Blogging counts! So expect to see more of me here.
Do Something That Makes Me Happy
Something struck me as being quite interesting the other day. My coworker told me that she used me as an example to motivate her son. She thought it was admirable that I was throwing myself with all the energy I possessed at my goal. But my initial thought upon hearing this was Why? What I’m doing is not healthy. It’s not good for me and it’s not good for my loved ones. I was on the precipice of a mental breakdown and my family was bearing the brunt of my emotional seesawing. Why is pushing yourself that hard admirable? I don’t think it is.
I can’t keep burning the candle at both ends. That’s why I’ve resolved to check in with myself more often this year and evaluate my mental state. Small things like painting, blogging, getting coffee with friends or reading a book spark joy. In 2022 I plan to make more time for these seemingly little things that make me happy, even if it means pushing my end goal a bit farther down the road.
Declutter + Organize Books, Digital Files and Memories
I can’t work when I’m surrounded by clutter, which is part of the reason why I separated my study from my personal space last year. I simply have too much crap lying around. I started creating a digital photobook of my three months in Australia and New Zealand two years ago and the unfinished product is still on my desktop, an embarrassing reminder of how many unfinished projects I have lying around. My desk and my hard drive are both in sore need of sorting.
I’ve started with my bookshelf (and admittedly it was probably a bad idea since I have an intense emotional attachment to my books, but that’s precisely why I chose it). If I can get rid of books I haven’t read in years, clothes and mementos will be no problem. At least I hope so.
What are some of your resolutions going into 2022?