2021 was a year full of ups and downs but to sum it up, it was a year full of learnings and experiences. With Covid19 not leaving our backs, finding ways to adjust to the new normal and making peace with the ongoing situation, we all found our safe space in the messy world. 2021 in many ways was different from 2020 because things started getting better before they got worse again. There are a lot of things we had to learn before stepping in to 2021—masking up, sanitizing, taking precautions, social distancing. There are some things we take forward in 2022 and others we leave behind. Here is a list of things you should leave behind in the year gone by and get into the new one with a blank slate and a fresh state of mind.
1) Comparing Your Progress With Others
2022 should be the year you stop comparing yourself to others, make peace with your progress and value your pace. Comparison creates a toxic environment which makes it difficult for you to work to the best of your abilities without doubting them. Comparisons affect your progress and your self worth—they end up demeaning you instead of pushing you to do better.
2) Working Without Taking Breaks
Hustle Culture is toxic and it will only leave you feeling restless, demotivated and completely exhausted. You need to strike a balance between working and taking breaks, this allows you to be efficient, productive and make optimum use of time. Working without breaks will just get you higher quantities of work but it may affect the quality of the job done ultimately leaving you and others feeling dissatisfied.
3) Procrastination
Procrastination is your biggest enemy. Stop waiting for tomorrow, do it now! Taking initiative is very important and as cheesy as it sounds—the early bird takes the worm. Finish your work in a timely manner and it will only benefit you. Procrastination not only delays the job but also creates a sense of laziness which is something you want to avoid.
4) Seeking Validation From Others
When you let your self worth and esteem depend on what others think about you or believe, you will end up hurting yourself. It is about time you realise that you don’t need people to validate you, your approval is enough. Validation is necessary and it is human nature to crave it but it shouldn’t play the crucial role in deciding your worth or in creating a magnanimous amount of self doubt and hate. To seek opinions from the ones close to you is important and helps you make the right choice but to seek approval from the world is unhealthy and will only build unnecessary pressure and you’ll end up crumbling under it.
5) People Pleasing
As humans, in one way or another—we’re all people pleasers. We all do things in order to make ourselves seem more likeable but is it really that important? How does it matter if a random person from work or a social sphere is not fond of you? In life, there will always be someone who doesn’t quite like you but to let that affect how you live your life is not the right thing to do. Every time, something as trivial as this affects you, just remember that—you wake up every morning to live your life your way and on your own terms, not to please the world.
6) Self Doubt
The worst enemy for your creativity and potential is self doubt. As humans, we are conditioned to always expect the worst but instead of always looking out for reasons something won’t work out, we can for once start counting all the reasons it will. To exceed your expectations and work to the best of your potential, it is extremely important to overcome self doubt and find clarity about your purpose. And if you are scared of failing, remember that you will only learn from it and your failure or self doubt in no way defines who you are or what you are capable of as an individual.
7) Overspending
Overspending is a problem most of us deal with. While every individual’s spending habits are unique to their own financial advantage and circumstances, sometimes you end up spending just because of an attractive marketing strategy. Spend on things you need to and things that make you happy, but this can be a slippery slope. Overspending can be solved in bite sized pieces and is not impossible to deal with.
8) Not Making Time For Yourself
Make 2022 your year, give it your best and don’t forget to make time for yourself. Indulge in self care—go to a spa, make time for a massage, watch your favorite movie, eat your favorite meal and dig into your favorite desserts. Make this year about yourself and shower yourself with love and care.
9) Ignoring Your Mental Health
We often neglect our mental health because of the stigma and lack of awareness. 2022 should be the year you feel healthy physically and mentally. Take time off and work on your mental health. Make it a practice to meditate, introspect and be mindful of what your mind and body needs. Mental health is more serious than we think, if not taken care of, it also affects your physical well-being.
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