2022

2020 was a difficult year for many people. There was so much social change, so much that we learned, so much to be endured. But there were some who had a great year, possibly the best year of their lives so far. 2021 was supposed to be easier, we as a people were supposed to get beyond the alone, supposed to get beyond fear and the unknown and get back to normal. For some, it was an even more exhausting and hard year than the one previous. But for some, it was again, a fantastic year, full of some hard, but many good things. So, what is the difference between the two people? I can guarantee each group had their fair share of problems.

People are now looking to 2022 to be a great year, but I have heard so much from people about how it’s already not turning out exactly like they want it to. Perspective is the key. I have noticed that when I am looking for something specific, I will always see it or find it. One day driving into Wasilla one of my kids commented that you never see orange cars. Well, that day we saw quite a number of orange cars and realized that it was just because we had never really looked specifically for “orange cars.” We have done this with many colors of cars and objects, the one that we really don’t see many of is purple cars, we’ve tried. Maybe it’s just our area though.

It’s interesting to me how often this happens though. I know that I have seen it in more than just what I visibly see in my drives to town and back. When I look for the positive in my husband and kids, guess what I see? All the good they do. That doesn’t mean I don’t see the other things that can be frustrating, but they aren’t as prominent, they aren’t quite as important. Corrections need to be made in our lives and in the lives of our children, so we can’t ignore bad behavior. But I have found that when I am focused on correcting behavior and catching them doing something wrong, all I see is bad behavior and not only are they miserable because of it, so am I. When I set goals for myself and only see the ways I have failed that day instead of the small victories, I feel like I am constantly failing. I have also found that if I realize they aren’t failures, just learning opportunities, I am able to better adjust, reevaluate and move forward. It’s all about perspective. The way we talk to ourselves, about ourselves, talk about circumstances, challenges and opportunities in life will make our break our day, our year, and ultimately our lives. Have you ever seen someone let one small bad thing that happened in their day ruin the rest of the day? They could have had a great day if they had let go of the one bad thing.

2022 is a new year. There will be new challenges along the way, but there will also be really good, really great, and really awesome things that happen this year. But we will miss those things if we are focused on how bad 2022 is going to be, we will constantly be on guard waiting for the next problem. Having a positive outlook on life doesn’t mean that we can’t see problems. It does mean however, that we are able to look past the problems and see solutions. Not all solutions will work. But when we are looking for solutions, looking for opportunities, working toward a positive end goal, we will make it there, we will work through plateaus and problems that arise. We will see the end from the beginning and see the progress. Progress is motivating, and motivation creates momentum. This year can be as unpleasant or awesome as we each individually choose to make it, so choose to make it a great year. Choose to make each day a great day, and when things get hard, see the problem for what it is, a steppingstone, and find a solution so you can move forward. Each day is a new beginning, each day in a new opportunity. Make today a great day, from the beginning, or start over in the middle, or have a great evening, but see the good that happens each and every day.