With each year that passes, it's an opportunity to reflect on what has passed and to think about any changes that you want to make on your path ahead.
Whilst we wake up with very little different from the year before, something inside says to me
It's a new year, I can make this year better.
Reflection on 2021
2021 was a difficult year and for me, this had very little to do with a virus that has affected so many. 2 big changes happened for me this year:
- The birth of my 2nd son
- Discovery of Steemit. Hive and Blurt (SH&B).
Only 1 of these things could be considered a true life event and it's not the discovery of SH&B.
When we had our 1st child, we found it really hard. There was another stroppy, uncompromising soul in the house that simply couldn't be ignored. He slowly grew up and without wanting to call it a routine, you get into a routine... you understand each other. But more importantly, you still get to sleep. Not the kind of sleep you had in the good old days, but as is often said:
When the baby sleeps, you sleep.
When the 2nd comes along, this is impossible because when the baby sleeps, you don't sleep. the-toddler is awake and when he's awake, you're awake. So not only do you have yet another stroppy, uncompromising soul to deal with, you have a stroppy, uncompromising, energetic, attention seeking soul to look after. Sleep is gone, sanity and any rational sense of self has gone with it and I started to lose the sense of who I am.
Then there's SH&B. I discovered these soon before I had my number 2 and it gave me a strange sense of identity. Something that was mine and nobody else's that I could share with others. It wasn't perfect but I felt productive, something I've not felt for a long time. It also appeared to be going well.
Then the aforementioned arrival came and guilt started to creep in. My enjoyment waned as I tried to do what I considered to be work meant that I was away from the little ones. But I'd established something that I wanted to and still want to continue. I'd made friends and in some strange, egotistical way, I felt that I'd be letting them down if I "disappear".
There are obviously a huge number of complexities in this and perhaps I need to spend more time reflecting... almost judging myself on what I feel that I did well and things that I know that I didn't. Which leads me to 2022...
2022 The Path Ahead
So we go into 2022 with hope. I've not fully reflected on 2021 yet but there are things that I already know I want to do differently.
I want to spend more time with my family, not just those in my house but my wider family. My nieces and nephews are growing up quickly and we don't see them enough, with the obvious excuse that they live too far away for this to be easy. But if something's hard, it's often more rewarding.
I want to be more healthy. I'll be one of a billion people who says this on the 1st January every year but so what? It just means that I'm not special in this regard. I need to drink more water, I need to eat more healthily and then, I really need to do get outside more and get that heart rate up. I don't need the year to change to know this.
I need balance. I used to reflect regularly and keep an eye on my Wheel of Life but I've not done this enough and feel somewhat lost. A loss of who I am.
Through fear of rambling on and spending all day sat here thinking about this, I'm going to end now. I'm always interested in the thoughts of others when it comes to personal development. Are you planning any changes for 2022 or is today just another day with yet another Fantasy Football deadline looming?