Getting to the finish line
Well, folks. We made it.
We got to the end of 2023.
And I think there are a few of us around here saying, “Thank f*ck for that, let’s never do that ever again.”
It’s been a rollercoaster for myself and friends alike, with break-ups, work challenges, health crises, and loss.
I know for myself that it’s hard to do a proper review at this time of year. I tend to see the things that went wrong, my mistakes and missteps, the bad times, and the things left undone.
It’s why I appreciate reflection prompts to help me stop and realise that my negativity bias isn’t let me see the whole picture.
I used to complete the worksheets Danielle Laporte offered a few years ago for free, which are now part of her One Commune course.
This time last year, though, I downloaded the wonderful and free Year Compass, which I will use again over the Christmas break.
It’s comprehensive, so it isn’t something that can be done in one sitting. But as I quickly glance through the pages of the one I finally completed in January, I’m surprised to see how many things actually came to pass. I completed my masters in positive psychology, I kept my home, and I’m now earning a living through work that’s come to me.
Writing stuff down works. Who’da THUNK?
But if you don’t have the time for the Year Compass, may I humbly offer three brief prompts to help you celebrate reaching the end of 2023, giving my own answers as examples?
1. What was the biggest challenge you faced this year, and how did you overcome it?
For me it was .. well, the first 7 months of this year, to be honest. I faced painful first anniversaries, break-ups, the threat of eviction, completing my degree, and losing a work opportunity that broke my heart. I overcame it by sharing what I was going through, rather than struggling on my own, and discovering how deeply my friends loved me.
2. What was the most unexpected moment of joy you experienced, and how did it change your perspective?
I was unable to attend an in-person event in September, due to my continued shielding from Covid. But two friends who WERE going made the time to see me en-route, one of them even booking an AirBnB so we could chat outside in comfort till almost 10pm. It was so wonderful to be able to have my own mini-event in this way, and it made me realise that it’s possible to ask for what you want and to receive it.
3. What piece of wisdom, knowledge, or insight can you carry forward to help guide you in the coming year?
You will probably see a theme emerging, but this year has really been the year of friendship for me. I’m still socially isolated from an in-person perspective (and probably will be until the weather improves enough to allow me to spend time outdoors again). But I’m held by a web of interconnectedness and belonging, a web woven from the love, care, and give-a-shitness of others. And that’s not to be sniffed at.
So, there you go. This is what I’m celebrating as I reach the end of the year: the power of friendship.
How would you answer these prompts?
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Photo by Tobi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-red-coat-photo-shot-during-daylight-758773/
