I’m sure you remember the phrase “don’t make someone your priority when you are only their opinion.” If you are pushing or over 40, you probably had it set as one of your AIM away messages. It’s time to put those words to good use and say hello to the new year and a big ol’ goodbye to the things that no longer serve you.
It’s time to prioritize our own well-being and take back our happiness. It’s time to make space for positive change and let go of anything that drains our energy. This is our year, and the focus is on setting boundaries and sticking to them.
As disappointing as it may be, sometimes we finally need to break ties with a family member. It is neither fair to our own families nor to us when a relationship is one-sided. If someone isn’t making an effort to be in your (or more importantly, your children’s) lives, so be it. That relationship is not worth your energy or stress. It serves you no purpose to try to make someone part of something they do not want to be part of. People pleasing is out for the new year. Live for you.
What can be even more of a disappointment than a family is a relationship ending. We grasp onto the strings, barely holding them together, even though we know that in the end, it just won’t work. A new beginning is scary. Ask yourself: are you more afraid of starting over or of being stuck in an emotionally draining situation? This is the time to put yourself first. Live for you.
Letting go doesn’t just mean relationships. It is anything that is hogging your happiness and holding you back from being your true, authentic self.
Ditch that pair of jeans in the back of your closet that you’ve been saving since high school. Let go of the half-painted piece of furniture that you swore you’d finish. Unfollow the person on social media who seems to have it perfectly together, every single moment of their lives. (Spoiler alert, they don’t.) Give yourself a little grace, you’ve got this.
Sometimes things need to get worse before they get better. There is no time like right now for a fresh start, a time to take back your own happiness.
Maybe a little unplugging is needed to reset, reflect on the past year, and really see where you want this year to go. However you do it, do it for you. This is going to be your best year yet.
