Breaking New Grounds In The Year 2022 -By AbdulHafeez Oyewole

Today is the first of January, of another New Year in the Gregorian calendar. You are three-sixty-five days away from the end of the year 2022. An attestation that you still have ample days to plan ahead on how you want the whole year to turn out to be for you. That is, either in your favour or otherwise. For the days in the year to be with you or turn against you is your ultimate calling. That is the hardest truth for you to swallow or recogitate at this moment, but if you truly ponder about it, you will fathom that you, indeed, have more say about how you want each second, each minute, each hour, in each day, of each week, in each month, of each moment of your life in this New Year.

Why not first start your Year with the evaluation of the spent year? That is to create time out of your busy schedules to assess how far you have gone with the year 2021, in let’s say, your personal development, social affinity, relationship and most importantly in your rapport and communication with the people in your cycle. Don’t wait there, also extend your retrospection to the people you have hurt and those that have been blessed and touched by your concerned acts, by your acts of love, gratitude or fellowship, or by kind gestures and many more.

Just count yourself lucky to have been counted among the living in the land of living up to this moment. For that alone, you should be grateful. This is because you are not the only one who thought about doing great things in this New Year but who is not counted among the survivors of the previous Year. For that reason, acknowledge the fact that it is neither your power nor might that has kept you. And on the flip side, you should equally know that it is not the woes or shortcomings of those that have lost their lives that have cut short their continuous sojourn with you. It is by His grace and mercy that have sustained you and your loved ones!

Therefore, to break new ground should be your topmost goal in this New Year. Although, do not be selfish with this decision at all. This is because it is who has excelled and helped others find their paths that can truly be termed as a generational success. Thus, endeavour as you grow, that you look back to bring others up. The axiom that we grow by lifting others is always valid in every human’s journey through life!

In all sense of honesty and sincerity of purpose, eschew pride and let integrity be your watchword in this New Year. To be happy and better manage your stress or toxicity around you, you need to do better this year at working on your mindset and focus your energy at home or work on what is important, like prioritising your health and mental state as well as being intentional on your attitude and your reaction to every occurence. It is not everything that happens that deserves your attention. In essence, you should rank the situation or condition, rack your brain around it, before you release your emotion towards the situation or condition, so as not to deprive yourself of the care, love, happiness and respect you truly deserve.

Fulfillment at work, at home, in school or anywhere is possible. Just strive to feed your heart and mind with love this year and watch it consume you completely. Also set realistic and attainable goals for yourself, no matter how small each may be. Ensure there is a deadline for each one of them; and there should be punishment for any of it you failed to execute in due time. So, instead of creating impossible New Year’s resolutions, why not aim to do a goal cleansing?

Rome is not built in a day. Do not be hard on yourself this year. Be hardworking, be prayerful. Recognise that it is what Almighty God makes feasible that is possible. Undoubtedly, it can be discouraging to think of the gap that exists between who you are at present and who you are capable of being. As you progress with the days of the New Year, you need to reflect on what you can do, in little steps, to get closer to your ideal self. This could involve investing money in making more money and investing time in skill development, taking a course, reading, researching, writing and surrounding yourself with good people. In all of these, create time out for God, your creator; your family and loved ones also, because they are the ones around you in the beginning and they are the ones you will see around you in the end of it all. Happy New Year to you. It’s your Year of clear purpose and abundance!

Abdulhafeez Oyewole is a print and broadcast journalist. He writes from Ilorin, the capital of Kwara state, Nigeria.