Another year is quickly moving towards its end. There is an end to everything in life – even the most dire of events, which at the time may feel endless. All things must pass and time heals all wounds. This may have been an especially good year for some; and it may have been one of the worst on record for others. You may have met someone, fallen in love, and married in 2023; or you may have undergone a bitter divorce. You may have lost a loved one or welcomed a newborn into the world. You may have bought a home, or suddenly become homeless. You may have begun a great new job, or been fired from one unexpectedly. The thing about year ends; however, is that they become a reminder to reflect on recent events and to determine what we want to be different in the coming year.
Time is nothing more than a series of events. We get into trouble when we begin to label them as good or bad. We can waste our time thinking about our regrets and past mistakes; or we can move on, accepting that the past cannot be changed and knowing that thinking about it only causes our suffering. Negative thinking can easily become a pattern for those who find comfort in feeling bad. They become stuck in a vicious cycle as they allow their minds to go around and around and around over some past event. When we realize that thoughts become things, we begin to guard our thoughts. In dwelling on the past, we continue to recreate similar events. When we learn instead, to think about what we want in the present moment, we can change the direction of the future. Our minds can be extremely stubborn when we attempt to direct them away from habitual negative thinking; but it is like breaking any other bad habit. We must replace the “bad” habit with a “good” habit. We can change one thought at a time by re-wording it and transforming it into an affirmation.
As a new year approaches we can remain lazy and trapped in negativity, or we can remain vigilant and produce thoughts that will help us to thrive. It is a little like the survival of the fittest. Animals in the wild must be proactive if they are to remain alive. A lion must hunt and her prey must remain alert if they do not want to be her next victim. If the lion does not hunt, she will starve and perhaps her cubs will die. The wildebeest must guard her young, even when overcome with fear, as the lioness approaches. Our human lives are not as black and white as animals in the wild. We can live for years in misery, mindlessly feeding the ego with our negative thoughts; but if we are to cultivate joy in our lives, we must allow the death of the ego. We must face life with the strength of a lion and sacrifice our ego for our greater good. We can face the coming new year head on by expecting only good.
