WITHOUT an end, there shall be no beginning. Thus, in a few days from now, the last page of the 2018 calendar shall be ripped off and the 2019 yearbook will be opened. As always, we look back at the year that was and look forward to new hopes the Year of the Pig will bring to us.
Many people can say that 2018 was quite a difficult time. Most of us struggled with trials and problems whether in our respective careers, family life, financial status, and other aspects of our lives. Despite all these challenges that we encountered, we must carry on and welcome another year with new hopes and new beginnings.
As we usher 2019, a lot of us now have a list of our resolutions and goals that we want to achieve next year. For me, I would rather have a list of reminders rather than a set of expectations and intentions that most of time lead to failed execution, therefore to disappointments and heartaches. I would like to share my simple list of reminders that I hope will fruitfully guide me this coming year.
1. Always count your blessings. It is true that we always look for what is missing, and what is not possible that we often neglect to see the good things that we have. Time and again, we feel sad for the things that we cannot have that we forget to feel happy and content with what God has already blessed us with. One thing that I realized this past year is that no one is not spared from problems, it’s just that we have our own kind of trials to deal with. So, we just have to keep our head straight and focus on how we can live one day at a time.
2. Do not compare yourself with others. Life is not like a race that we have to compete with others. Undeniably, we put so much pressure unto ourselves for looking at what others have already accomplished and think that we are already failures because we lag behind their achievements. A popular quote says, “It doesn’t matter what others are doing. It matters what YOU are doing.” We have to remind ourselves that we should not be envious of others, rather we have to compete with ourselves to improve our present condition.
3. Challenge yourself to learn new things and be happy to embrace change. Learning does not, and must not stop. We have to keep learning new things, doing new tasks, and discover new ideas. We must stagnate at the thought that we already good at one thing. We always have to keep our ladder straight and climb until we reach its top. When we successfully do this, we have to look for new ladders to conquer. This outlook makes us better, it keeps us occupied, and it perks us up. If time and money permits, travel to new destinations, especially the wonderful places here in our country.
4. Spend more quality time with your family. Life is such a whirlwind that we come and go given the demands and stresses of our daily routine. Work is important, but our families and friends should not be sacrificed because of this. We have to remember that we are working to be able to provide for our loved ones, and that we must always find time to be there for our kids in their milestones. We have to remember that time lost cannot be brought back, and when our kids grow older before we know it, they would not be the little ones we used to cuddle and play with. Family is love, as a TV network aptly puts it. In work, anybody can always replace us, but in our family, we are irreplaceable.
5. Always pray. We can hope for a better year, but our shield and strength always comes from Him alone. Whatever the new year brings to us, we should always cling on to Him and surely, we will be able to surpass everything. God says in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
With the new year coming ahead, we just have to move on, hope for the best, and simply enjoy life with God always at our side. He will always provide. Wishing everyone a Prosperous 2019!