Happy New Year!
I’m always excited by New Year’s Day. Although technically just another day, the begining of a new year represents the prospect of a fresh and exciting start. It’s a great time for us to reflect on the year gone by - the highs, the lows and the bits in-between.
Moving forward and focusing on the future is important but reflecting on what went well and what didn’t is a great way for us to prepare for the year ahead. The key thing here is to always remain positive. It’s likely that 2018 had some low points. Rather than dwelling on these dips, it’s important for us to look for what they have taught us. If we aren’t learning, we aren’t growing. And if we aren’t growing…well…life can seem stagnant. Taking these lessons and arming ourselves for the battles in 2019 seems like a wise thing to do. Turning negativity into fuel for the future is something that will benefit us all.
The process of introspection and self-analysis was hugely popular with the Stoic philosophers of Ancient Greece and Rome. They would always look for the lesson and would often reflect on daily events in writing. In fact, the most famous example of this is “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius. This was his private journal and was never supposed to be published! It’s incredible to see how disciplined he was with himself and how everything he did would come under close scrutiny. This work has become one of the key texts for those Stoic practitioners out there. I probably bang on about this book too much but it really is great. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it. What a wonderful companion for the year ahead!
The start of 2019 is very exciting for me as I have just launched my project into the world. With this there naturally comes vulnerability. Staring fear and vulnerability in the face is exactly the purpose of this project so it’s the perfect way for me to continue challenging myself. Learning to remove the little internal voice of self-doubt and live a life more open to possibilities isn’t easy. So, here’s to living more boldly... I hope you join me by bringing more boldness into your 2019.
“It’s only by being bold that you get anywhere. ”