This is the time to reflect on the year gone by and make some big resolutions for 2022 which are made to be broken. ЁЯЩВ Before we go into the new year, let us act in a way to create a happy mental state and do self-reflection, introspection, and forgiveness. It will go a long way towards self-healing. Self-forgiveness is healthy and necessary to help reduce anxiety. It gives peace of mind, self relief and helps move forward.
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This is the time of the year, when a fresh outlook, contentment, and a renewed sense of well-being are needed to move into 2022.
Forgiveness, Self-Reflection, Introspection
Whatever has happened has happened. Learn from it and be in a better position to handle a similar situation next time.
Acknowledge and accept what has happened. Inner strength and self-control will help to free from self-blame. Always remember, to err is human. Acknowledge the efforts and always remember that a bit of self-care approach will go a long way to move ahead.
When the decision made turned out to be wrong, there is a feeling …oh god, let everything be normal. Be patient. Do not rush, take time, move ahead and forgive yourself. This will definitely ease out the guilt of wrong decisions and associated problems. Here I would like to share a story of a friend, whose husband had developed vaccination hesitancy after receiving a Whatsapp message. She did not give it a thought and agreed with what her husband decided. I would like to mention that both husband and wife were highly educated people. This gentleman was a scientist and even then he had taken such a ridiculous decision. Both had fallen prey to Covid19 in the Delta wave and my friend had lost her husband. He was only 59 years of age. She has taken the vaccination after recovering from Covid19. She was feeling so much guilt to be vaccinated. Every now and then, she burst into emotional cries, blaming herself for her husband’s death. Had she taken a stand and got vaccinated, her husband would be by her side. This is creating chaos in her and her son’s life who is staying with her. After lots of counseling, I was able to bring some peace to her, and finally, she had overcome the guilt recently. Now she is taking the reins of her life in her hands and planning her goals in the renewed situation.
Always give time and space to reflect. Make it a daily habit. How about starting with 15 minutes of reflecting time every day?
It is always a winning strategy to have a time-bound plan for goals. Break the larger goals into smaller steps. Give importance to your thoughts and feelings. When you reflect on some situation, try to use as many specific emotions as possible. Instead of going through a vast range of emotions like happy, angry, sad, it is better to ask what I felt at that time or what my body felt at that time. This way, you can feel both emotional and physical aspects. Once you have identified the body changes, it is time to move ahead. Focus on where you want to be. Evaluate the other course of action which you will follow if you find yourself in a similar situation next time. Take smaller steps and move ahead.
Gratitude is an excellent way to have a positive component in your reflections. Gratitude is nothing but looking at the positive aspects of what has happened. Research has proved that the positive impact of gratitude lives for a few months. To make gratitude a daily habit, always remember at least one good thing for which you feel gratitude every day till it becomes a habit.
On the personal front, many have gone through personal traumas. Self-reflection is about creating a space around us to have the clarity to know us better. A journal or diary can be a great help to write your thoughts about yourself. No one is perfect. Our bodies and mind may not be perfect but these are the best and only tools we have at our disposal. It is the time to examine the baggage we are carrying in our minds or the concerns we have. It is time to work on them with compassion. Simply acknowledge the errors made and accept them without blaming anyone. Genuinely try to make amends in the thought process and actions. If you need support, ask a close friend or relative to help you out of the guilt. Always remember, no one is perfect. Open your heart and let go of the anger and resentment you are holding to. Shift narrative of the happenings to good times rather than focussing on disturbing thoughts. This will help us to move ahead with positivity, which is what we need to enter the new year 2022, with new hope and a new beginning.
Happy New Year 2022!
I so agree with this post. Have started to feel much calm