How I Plan to Make 2022 Better Than 2021
5 things I will be focussing on in 2022
Life is a journey. And as I get older, I am starting to appreciate that truth more and more. As someone who tends to focus much on the future, the journey of life constantly reminds me that there is no rush. And as the years go by, I am only getting older, not younger. So, I might as well embrace every moment of it.
I do not need to remind you of the horrors of 2021 and the pandemic. If you were in the UK, you would have also remembered the pingdemic.
However, with 2022 fast approaching, I have hope for the year ahead. Through spending much time on my own this year, I was granted the rare opportunity to self reflect. And I mean really self-reflect.
I have never thought so deeply about how I wish to live my life and the ripple I seek to leave behind me when I am gone. Throughout this year, I have made many changes. I have decided to make a career change, and I have embarked on my passion to write for the masses.
I hate writing new year’s resolutions only because I know I will not keep them. But what I do like doing is choosing areas within my own life I would like to focus on throughout the year. I think it is a better way of doing things, and it allows you to put in active habits to ensure you do it.
So, here are the five things I believe will make 2022 a better year than 2021. And maybe by you reading through my list, you may get some inspiration of your own.
1. Creative Output
Since taking writing seriously, I have found it is human to create for others. We share our talents with those around us because it is a win-win transaction. We receive appreciation, and the other receives a benefit from what we have to offer.
More than any other year, 2021 has shown me that we are all creators in our own way. During lockdowns and isolations, I saw my friends become chefs, artists and musicians. They shared their recipes and sent me videos of their handy work.
Not to mention, many people had time to fall in love with things they once had time for. And many of those hobbies we find ourselves doing are creative or inspiring to others.
As a writer, I spend most of my free time writing articles for my audience. I will continue to do this in the year to come and already have a habit of doing so.
If this is one area of focus you would like to add to your life, think about the small ways you can create for others. You do not need to become a content creator and start a podcast. It could be as simple as cooking a new meal once a week for your family or friend.
2. Learning
It seems like an obvious one, but it is something we neglect. For most people, we end the year knowing more than we started. Hopefully, we are all a little bit wiser and a little smarter. Learning is part of the journey of life, whether we actively do it or not.
New years resolutions to do with learning often come in the form of reading or taking courses. But these can be hard to maintain, especially when we all have busy lives to get on with.
In 2021, I abandoned my focus on learning for other things. Not to any fault of my own, reading my books and watching lectures online started falling down the list of priorities. And I do not believe I am the only one this happens to.
As our lives get busier, we tend to free up time by taking less time to develop ourselves. That may be reducing our time in the gym, reading less or even eating crappy foods to save time.
It is a bad habit, but many feel comfortable neglecting themselves for other pursuits. And I believe this is partially why many of us do not get enough sleep anymore.
So, like in 2020, I am going back to finding at least 1 hour a day to read. It is my passion for reading that led me to write and generate unique ideas.
If learning is something you want to focus on, I have found it best to link it to creative output or creative input. That way, there is a desire to keep on learning as you continue to create.
3. Creative Input
A creative power we have is the power to create for ourselves. Much of our day is focused on others, whether meeting deadlines, running a business or picking up your children from school.
We plan our days in a way that fits the lives of others, and that is one reason we burn out. We spend so much time giving energy to others, we forget we need energy too.
Creative input is a great way to show yourself self-care and raise your energy levels. I used to do this by playing the piano and creating a piece of music just for myself. Some do it by singing to themselves or doing their make-up just for fun.
These small creative endeavours remind us that our skills and talents can also please us. And I have neglected creative input for a long time, so I think 2022 is a great time to start.
If you are like me and have thrown this out of your life too, I would strongly advise you to put it back in. Few things in life come close to the feeling of self-accomplishment, and creative input gives you just that.
4. Physical Health
Again, it is another no brainer, but something I forgot about in 2021. I spend a lot of my time sitting at my desk, so I do not get much time to exercise. After my 9–5, I come home and do more sitting to create content for my readers.
Thankfully, I came across a 10-minute intensive workout on youtube that I have started doing. It is quick and gives me the stress release and serotonin levels I need to start writing after a long day at work.
If you struggle to slot in time to exercise, try starting out small. Since working out is one of those things that is easy to forget, I would suggest having someone to do it with. I do my 10-minute workout every day with my partner, and we both feel great afterwards.
In 2022, I hope to keep this up and move to a 15 or 20-minute workout by the end of the year. We all know the importance of our physical health on our performance in life, so it is a focus of mine in 2022.
5. Relationships
Finally, we have all seen the benefits of having time to ourselves. That is potentially one good thing that comes out of the pandemic. On the flip side, we have also recognised the significance of our relationships.
As an introvert, I thought I would not suffer that much from having fewer social interactions, but I was wrong. I lost ideas and even got fed up with writing at one point. Our relationships are not just vital for our happiness, but also our creativity and productivity.
So, I am setting time aside to check up on the people that matter the most. It is easy to forget to give people a quick call or send a message to see how they are. And sometimes, it is too late by the time we think of doing it.
So, my calendar will now be filled with prompts to message and call people, and I think yours should be too. It is an easy way to show your appreciation for the people you really care about.
