This is a wonderful article written by Dr. Bradley Nelson, please enjoy.
This time of year is always a time of reflection for me, as it is for many people. This can be constructive and rewarding, but can turn ugly if we choose to focus on the negative. There seems to be an unspoken rule that the end of the year is time to analyze our lives, our bodies, and our accomplishments over the past year. Its as if December 31st looms over us as some kind of invisible deadline for achieving perfection or, at least adequacy. If last year’s goals aren’t met and we’re still ‘too fat or too poor or too lonely’, we feel defeated and make fresh New Year’s Resolutions to fix the things that didn’t work last year. Each year the cycle repeats itself, usually with only slightly different details.
There’s a phrase I like to use often: “Onward and upward.” I urge you to choose an onward and upward motion for your life. I urge you to set aside the negative analysis of your flaws this year, and let this become an upward cycle instead of a downward one. Reflecting on the negative just creates a tug of war – you can’t truly move forward if you’re holding onto what’s in the past. Choose to be happy now. Embrace your human-ness and love yourself for who you are, including the quirks and shortfalls that make you unique. Celebrate the goals you achieved this year, the people you helped, the love you developed for others, and the efforts you made to get more balanced. These things are what is really important, and what will help propel you forward and achieve the greatness you are capable of achieving.
