Summary

The author reflects on personal habits they aim to leave behind in 2023 to foster self-improvement and growth.

Abstract

In the article "That’s SO Last Year," the author discusses their intention to abandon certain negative habits as they move into 2023. Recognizing that a New Year doesn't guarantee an easy fresh start, they focus on the positive changes they wish to make. The author identifies overthinking, procrastination, wasting energy on trivial matters, making excuses for oneself and others, and a lack of clarity as key areas for improvement. They acknowledge the challenge of breaking these habits but is determined to strive for a better year through conscious effort and reflection.

Opinions

The author views overthinking as their biggest downfall and acknowledges it as a natural tendency they are determined to overcome.
They admit to being a top procrastinator, recognizing it as a detriment to personal achievement and a source of self-disappointment.
The author believes that fixating on stressors due to negativity bias leads to wasted mental energy that could be better spent on important matters.
They express a need to stop making excuses, both for their own actions and for the poor treatment by others, as it ultimately harms them.
The author equates a lack of clarity to navigating through fog, emphasizing the importance of organization and reflection to find a clear path in life.
They are optimistic about the future, understanding that while change requires effort, the potential rewards make the journey worthwhile.

That’s SO Last Year

Things not coming with me into 2023

A New Year doesn’t necessarily mean a clean slate, or that creating change will be easy. However, there is comfort in knowing that with the New Year, we are more likely to want to push ourselves to change.

There are so many things that I want for this year, it’s easier and more positive to think about those.

I also want to be aware of what I don’t want to bring into the New Year. Things that I can shed because they no longer serve me or the person I wish to become.

These are some habits I am planning to leave behind in 2022.

Overthinking

Overthinking has been my biggest downfall for most of my life to be honest. I despise it yet I cannot help but engage in it.

Unfortunately, my brain is wired to deem overthinking as second nature, but that doesn’t mean I have to accept this.

I need to become stronger at fighting it. It’s not easy to let it go, but there is greater peace to be found in letting go than there is in dwelling on something negative.

Procrastination

If procrastination were an Olympic sport I would definitely be in the top 3. Somehow I manage to find things to distract me and allow my focus to be deterred far too easily.

Nothing good can come from procrastination, all it does is hold me back from achieving anything and leaves me feeling disappointed in myself.

Shedding procrastination will allow me to get closer to reaching my full potential.

Wasting energy

Often I find myself stressing over things that, in the grand scheme of things, are meaningless.

This is the perfect way to waste mental energy on unimportant things, draining me from spending energy on things that actually are important.

Thanks to negativity bias it is so much easier to fixate on our stressors as opposed to the positives but this isn’t how I want to be going forward and learning to change the course of my attention is how I can move past this habit.

Making excuses

Sometimes if I am not as productive as I feel I should have been, or I didn’t do my best work I will make some sort of excuse as to why that was ok.

In the same vein when someone has treated me poorly or less than, I would always excuse their behaviour and let them get away with it without calling them out for their actions.

This is not how I want to show up this year and this needs shedding. I need to stop making excuses for others and myself because at the end of the day, the only one who suffers is me.

Lack of clarity

Lacking clarity is like trying to reach an unknown destination through a thick fog. I feel at times this was how I was moving through life, with no clear path or destination and it was hard, to say the least.

I didn’t know where to put my focus, my energy was scattered and it felt like I was taking steps in multiple directions without actually getting anywhere.

To change that, organization and regular reflection are key.

It’s ok to change tracks when I know what I am doing but when I am constantly winging it I shouldn’t be surprised when I don’t see results.

It would be ideal to wake up one day and not have these habits be a part of my life, but unfortunately, life is rarely that easy.

I know that to rid myself of these habits will take determination and conscious effort, but the light at the end of the tunnel is a bright one and is worth the journey.

I know some days I will fall short, I am human after all, but if I don’t try to change these things I cant expect to have a better year.

Want to become a part of the Medium family? Click this link to join!

Want to get to know me more? Connect with me on Twitter and Instagram!

Like what you are reading? I would greatly appreciate your leaving me a tip here!