Kissing or Kicking 2021 Goodbye?

This is the phrase that came in to my head as I lumbered through the village on my post Christmas holiday run.

It’s taken me all week to get my backside off the sofa and out for this run so I’m feeling a little smug right now. 

In fact, I’m feeling a lot smug especially compared to when I got on the scales this morning to check what kind of additional Christmas weight I would be lugging around on the run!  If only losing the leftover reality of all the excess indulgence was as much fun as acquiring it!

But hey, that’s the price I’m willing to pay for having time out to lounge around on the sofa, declining most forms of activity unless they involve further consumption of highly rich foods.

Anyway, as 2022 looms ever closer, I can’t help but reflect on the year we’re about to see off.  It’s been quite peculiar really.  Actually it hasn’t been that dissimilar to this Christmas holiday.  It started off with great excitement, enthusiasm and joyous activity only to be quickly followed by a sadness that made me glad to do a profession that requires me to always have an ample supply of nose and eye wipers.

The sadness of that which has been lost tends to resurface amidst the heightened emotion of the season.

And then, the other day I succumbed to watching a cheesier than cheesy film which nonetheless had me grabbing for those tissues yet again.

It’s the ending thing; the end of a year, the end of what didn’t work out this year, what hasn’t worked out before and just endings in general.

I’ve been fortunate that I have not lost anyone I have loved this year although I know many who have, all of whom my heart goes out to.

But as I reflect now upon my own difficult feelings evoked about endings, including the ending of this year, I can’t help but see that 2022 offers the chance to begin again.  To put aside what didn’t go well this past year and recommit to trying again in this New Year.

In support of this, I’ve found myself reflecting on the things that aid me in staying open, engaged and inspired to never give up on those dreams that remain etched deep on my heart.

In recent years I have found myself following a pattern where I start a new year eager and motivated to see through a new creative project only to find it cast aside a few short months later under the weight of life continuing to throw up new challenges.

Ugh.

And so, whilst there are obvious things like doubt, fear and general dream stealers, that I don’t want to be taking in to 2022 with me, I have also identified those people and pursuits that I need to proactively plan time for.

In other words, I’ve updated my game plan.

As I am well aware, there remains much that is out of my control in life, including whether BoJo will go all restrictive on us in 2022.

But, it continues to be true that the way in which I respond to what is within my control determines whether I move toward or away from my dreams.

I recognise that I have been moving in the wrong direction in that respect and so I’ve begun to right that for 2022.

It offers another chance to begin again for which I am grateful, especially as I have found myself wondering more than once during 2021 whether I used the changes prompted by restricted living in 2021 to do what I feel called to do.  The honest answer, is no.

I want to rectify that in 2022.