The Case Against 2017
Every New Year I hear it....
"Good riddance 20__ you SUCKED and I can't wait till your over!!"
Predictably replaced with....
"20__ is going to be the best year EVER! I'm going to do this, and this, and this, and 2017 is going to be MY YEAR!"
Every. Single. Year.
I hear it like a poor mans chorus that rings out amongst all humanity, or an ancient groan that rumbles deep within the layers of our soul. And 2016 was no exception.
Is it me, or is the groan deepening? Because I haven't come across many that have had a lot of positive things to say about 2016.
If I'm right....and that groan is getting deeper....Then what hope do we have for future years to come? What can we truly look forward to in 2017 or are we destined to hit that (groaning) repeat button every year for the rest of our lives?
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not trying to paint a picture for the future, or depress you up to your eyeballs; Just asking couple of sobering questions designed to slap the sleep out of your eyes.
Are you happy to proclaim entire years of your life as being a waste of time?
Are you happy to keep putting your hope in a future that, according to your track record, will inevitably disappoint you? (and be relegated to the 'that sucked bin').
Do you feel that yet? The big fat penny dropping? The conviction on your heart that demands change?
If you haven't already figured it out yet, let me make it crystal clear;
There are always going to be things in life that disappoint you - and yes I realise that may be an understatement. Every year you will be faced with challenges, tests, opposition, heartbreak, and maybe even trauma. These are just a few words I plucked out of the bottomless pit called reality. But there is another side to that truth - an even greater side if you would bother to look.
There are other words in there that breathe life, love, hope, faith, thankfulness, gratefulness, peace, happiness, excitement, fulfillment, contentment, and again the list goes on and on. They are there in your life - there for the taking. They are in your same reality galaxy, but you have to choose to scoop them up and apply them like armor to every area of your life.
The key word here is choose. But you can't choose something unless you see it, so therefore you need to work on your perspective. Your perspective determines your reality or some might say, your FOCUS determines your reality. So let me ask you a simple question: What are you focusing on?
If all you focus on is the crap that 2016 threw at you for example, then what's stopping you from applying the same focus to 2017?
If you can't change your focus and sharpen your perspective then the case against 2017 is set - despite all your heartfelt and loudly proclaimed new years resolutions. I know it's hard, and there's actually neurological factors that work against us (read here for an earlier blog), but it's not impossible.
Choose to see and remember the good in every moment you are given. Write it down if you have a bad memory, then mediate on these things. Find the gems amongst the rubble, they may be small but they will sparkle and give you much joy. Lift up your eyes and take a look at all the good things around you - if you look hard enough you will see there is much to behold. When life throws you a curve ball, soldier on through with thoughts of goodness and thankfulness as your primary weapon. Understand that it is only for a season and reprieve is just around the corner. I'm not sure how big and wide your corner is or will be, but I am sure it WILL eventually straighten out.
Easy for you to say Rebecca! Is that what your thinking? Well you would think that if you didn't know anything about my journey. This is not a blog for such details, but in summary, the last 2 years have been the most challenging in my life and that's saying a lot considering all the traumatic events I have experienced over 38 years. But I choose to focus on the goodness. I choose to acknowledge, appreciate, and be thankful for the bright spots - and wow - were they bright.
The lavish love that followed me right down to my darkest pits, and gently coaxed me out step by step. Every painful step can testify to goodness - even in that place. It truly overwhelms me, to the point where I can barely remember the terrible. The only way I can truly relate to the terrible is if I read back over my blogs - but even then I catch myself thinking; was that really me?
If you knew my journey, you wouldn't think this was possible.
But it's what I chose to focus on, what I FOUGHT to focus on. And here I am, sitting here in the New Year thinking;
Whatever happens this year WILL be good, because I will find goodness in it.
Kick the case against 2017 to the curb and start living the good life you've been given.
The ball is in your court.
Bex xx
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"Good riddance 20__ you SUCKED and I can't wait till your over!!"
Predictably replaced with....
"20__ is going to be the best year EVER! I'm going to do this, and this, and this, and 2017 is going to be MY YEAR!"
Every. Single. Year.
I hear it like a poor mans chorus that rings out amongst all humanity, or an ancient groan that rumbles deep within the layers of our soul. And 2016 was no exception.
Is it me, or is the groan deepening? Because I haven't come across many that have had a lot of positive things to say about 2016.
If I'm right....and that groan is getting deeper....Then what hope do we have for future years to come? What can we truly look forward to in 2017 or are we destined to hit that (groaning) repeat button every year for the rest of our lives?
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not trying to paint a picture for the future, or depress you up to your eyeballs; Just asking couple of sobering questions designed to slap the sleep out of your eyes.
Are you happy to proclaim entire years of your life as being a waste of time?
Are you happy to keep putting your hope in a future that, according to your track record, will inevitably disappoint you? (and be relegated to the 'that sucked bin').
Do you feel that yet? The big fat penny dropping? The conviction on your heart that demands change?
If you haven't already figured it out yet, let me make it crystal clear;
There are always going to be things in life that disappoint you - and yes I realise that may be an understatement. Every year you will be faced with challenges, tests, opposition, heartbreak, and maybe even trauma. These are just a few words I plucked out of the bottomless pit called reality. But there is another side to that truth - an even greater side if you would bother to look.
There are other words in there that breathe life, love, hope, faith, thankfulness, gratefulness, peace, happiness, excitement, fulfillment, contentment, and again the list goes on and on. They are there in your life - there for the taking. They are in your same reality galaxy, but you have to choose to scoop them up and apply them like armor to every area of your life.
The key word here is choose. But you can't choose something unless you see it, so therefore you need to work on your perspective. Your perspective determines your reality or some might say, your FOCUS determines your reality. So let me ask you a simple question: What are you focusing on?
If all you focus on is the crap that 2016 threw at you for example, then what's stopping you from applying the same focus to 2017?
If you can't change your focus and sharpen your perspective then the case against 2017 is set - despite all your heartfelt and loudly proclaimed new years resolutions. I know it's hard, and there's actually neurological factors that work against us (read here for an earlier blog), but it's not impossible.
Choose to see and remember the good in every moment you are given. Write it down if you have a bad memory, then mediate on these things. Find the gems amongst the rubble, they may be small but they will sparkle and give you much joy. Lift up your eyes and take a look at all the good things around you - if you look hard enough you will see there is much to behold. When life throws you a curve ball, soldier on through with thoughts of goodness and thankfulness as your primary weapon. Understand that it is only for a season and reprieve is just around the corner. I'm not sure how big and wide your corner is or will be, but I am sure it WILL eventually straighten out.
Easy for you to say Rebecca! Is that what your thinking? Well you would think that if you didn't know anything about my journey. This is not a blog for such details, but in summary, the last 2 years have been the most challenging in my life and that's saying a lot considering all the traumatic events I have experienced over 38 years. But I choose to focus on the goodness. I choose to acknowledge, appreciate, and be thankful for the bright spots - and wow - were they bright.
The lavish love that followed me right down to my darkest pits, and gently coaxed me out step by step. Every painful step can testify to goodness - even in that place. It truly overwhelms me, to the point where I can barely remember the terrible. The only way I can truly relate to the terrible is if I read back over my blogs - but even then I catch myself thinking; was that really me?
If you knew my journey, you wouldn't think this was possible.
But it's what I chose to focus on, what I FOUGHT to focus on. And here I am, sitting here in the New Year thinking;
Whatever happens this year WILL be good, because I will find goodness in it.
Kick the case against 2017 to the curb and start living the good life you've been given.
The ball is in your court.
Bex xx
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Subscribe to keep up to date
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