A Resolution of Compassion

When I was initially planning this article I wanted to convey my thoughts on New Year's Resolutions, however, in light of last Wednesday’s attacks, I want to start by saying this:

As we all may have realized by now, the turn of the year does not mean the end of hardship and, specifically the end of the discord we faced in 2020. Most likely 2021 will bode some of the same anguish as 2020. But that is not to say that you shouldn’t set goals for yourself in the new year. I think everyone can benefit from setting goals, however, maybe for 2021 go easy on yourself.

For 2021 try setting small, easy goals that are achievable and still will benefit you. For example, saying positive affirmations or drinking more water every day. These may be small goals, but sometimes even the smallest changes can have big results. Any goal that causes a positive change to your life is a goal worth having.

However, don’t forget to give yourself grace. Don’t feel like you have to be completely perfect and don’t beat yourself up if something goes wrong. Often people are extremely hard on themselves at the beginning of the new year, but I want this to be a reminder that it is okay to let yourself breathe. 2020 was a very stressful time and, if I’m being pessimistic, 2021 might be too.

Thus, for 2021 let’s have our goals be: to not wallow in every little failure, to show ourselves and others more compassion, to listen to our minds when they’re telling us to slow down and to support and lift one another up. Let 2021 be a year for us to grow and learn more about ourselves and the world around us, and let it be a year where we come together to continue the fight to end injustice and inequality everywhere.