1. Protecting my time

We cannot hold time, feel time, or see time with any traditional senses. But we can recognize it. We recognize time going by too fast or too slowly. We can recognize when it is being well spent and just the opposite. Most importantly, we can recognize that time is the most valuable thing we have. In 2021, I promise to wake up each day and recognize that truth. I will spend my time doing things that fulfill me, with people that make me feel joyful, and with actions that get me closer to my goals and desires and turn away from anything else. Our time on this planet is precious and I will not be afraid to protect it anymore.

2. Falling in love

Love, while often described with butterflies and lust, can also be described as intimidating and scary. Knowing you are giving your heart to someone, and knowing someone can be the first and last thing you think about each day, can feel heavy. But fear shouldn’t stop us from seeking one of life’s greatest gifts: love. I’m not going to be scared to fall. I am not going to close my heart off from the beauty that comes with love just because I am scared. In 2021, I won’t be afraid to fall in love and let people in. I won’t be afraid to share my heart in all of its beauty and naïvetés.

3. Following my passions

We only have this one life as far as we can prove. We only have each day, each month, and each year to go out and live how we want.  I don’t want to spend this time wondering ‘what if’? What if I had just chased that goal or passion of mine? I don’t want to spend my days watching someone else live out their dreams while I sit and live in fear. I won’t be scared of chasing my passions. I will run towards them without looking back.

4. Loving myself

Fully and unapologetically. Day in and day out, I will put myself first. I will love myself exactly how I want someone else to love me. I will be my greatest advocate and greatest companion because I don’t deserve anything less, and neither do you. Maybe it’s true what they say, “you can’t expect someone to love you if you don’t love yourself first”, but an even better way to think about this is, why would you spend your whole life unloving the one person who is with your through it all? Yourself.

5. Walking away

I won’t be afraid of letting go of things and walking away. From people, a career, a hobby, or anything else that takes up space in my life. Not everything is meant to last forever and I don’t think it’s such a bad thing. Maybe it was something we once dreamed of and that’s what makes it so hard to walk away. But we shouldn’t keep things just for the sake of hanging on. I will walk away from what’s no longer enhancing my soul. I will walk away without fear. I will walk away, knowing while I may be leaving something behind, I am making room for something better.

6. Making mistakes

I won’t be perfect nor do I need to be. I will be forgiving when I make a wrong turn and I will learn from every step I take. Many of us live in our comfort zone out of fear of failure. We would rather stay in our happy little bubbles depriving ourselves of what we really want to do, just because we might mess up. But in the end, who cares if you make a mistake? The only opinion that lasts through and through is your own. I would rather make a mistake than live with not trying at all. In 2021, I won’t be afraid of making a mistake. I will gracefully throw myself into the unknown, knowing mistakes are inevitable.

2020 put our fears up to a magnifying glass. 2020 showed us, regardless of how strong we have built ourselves up to be, we are still a species of trial and error.  We are still species who experience pain and fear. This year has brought out real fears in all of us, but we have to look onwards. We have to look into the New Year with hope.