Wow, it felt like only yesterday I was writing the blog for 2021. Now, we are at the end of 2022, which is insane to think about. Similarly to 2021, 2022 had its challenges, but that is what makes each year special. I have realized that every year is a challenge, resulting in each year forming every one of us gearing toward a positive outcome in the world we live in. It doesn’t mean that we should strive to be perfect (which is impossible), but it does help each individual to build a healthier, friendlier, and safe life while building a strong and positive community.
I have looked back at the reflection from last year (which you can read: https://www.anthonymasters.org/blogs/new-years-reflection) and was reminded of the lessons I have learned from that year. Some of it I have followed, and many I did not. I want to transform these goals into new ones and hope to follow them as we approach 2023 (wow, that is weird to say, not alone typing it).
This year I came through many challenges in my everyday life, and sometimes it is a struggle to get over those challenges. One example would be grades/GPA. Whenever I receive a grade I do not like; I tend to be hard on myself and stress over the result in my overall performance for the course. While it is important to earn good grades in college, one not-so-good grade does not determine your career. Rather, it can be a learning experience to move on from it. The same goes for activities outside of school, like running. I, of course, have bad races, and those races have brought me down at times, but one bad race does not have to affect my whole career as long as I keep moving forward and get better next time around. The same goes for everything I do. Setbacks are what make us keep moving and motivated.
2. Take everything step by step (don’t worry too much about the future).
I am currently going into the second semester of my Junior year, and it is crazy to think about. Time does fly, and it can be scary to think I will be finding a career path just over a year from now. With that said, I definitely know it will come eventually, but it doesn’t mean I should stress over it as long as I take it step by step. At this point in my life, I do not have a clear understanding of what my future job will be (specifically). Still, I do know it will be resolved as I continue doing well in school, be in close contact with my advisor, and look for part-time jobs/internships that relate to my major. As long as I am approaching those three components, I will find my way to success.
3. Value every moment of your life.
To be honest with you, this was a struggle for me this year. Whenever there is something that stresses me out, I tend to worry or focus on that instead of what is happening around me. It gets overwhelming at times, and I forget to focus on what I am doing at that moment. For example, whenever I have a large assignment due or an exam coming up, I focus too much on that particular thing rather than what is happening around me. If I am with friends at that moment, I tend to mainly think about what I am stressed about rather than the conversations I am having. This is something I am willing to try to overcome, and I know this will be a process, but I know it can be resolved little by little.
4. Speak up
I am a person who wants to let everyone around me be happy, but sometimes, it is not always the case. I am starting to build a better understanding that mental and physical health is essential. I have had many situations where I would want people around me to remain satisfied, leading me to feel stressed over their satisfaction. I know life will not go my way and it is good to benefit others, but it is not healthy to keep creating situations where people around me can take advantage of me in any circumstance. A wise person has told me, “There is a difference between being helpful and being taken advantage of.” I try to stand by that quote whenever I am in any situation. It is also difficult to say “no” at times because I feel bad about the person I am saying “no” to. Still, it is important to understand that my well-being is important, and sometimes I have to do what’s best for me whenever there is an overwhelming circumstance occurring.
5. Build a better prayer life and stay close to the Catholic Faith.
I have to be honest; my Faith hasn’t been where I wanted it to be compared to last year. My prayer life has been low lately, but it’s mainly because of how busy my life is at school. While working, taking six classes, and running, I tend to get caught up in all of it where prayer gets delayed or doesn’t occur. That is what I want to change, especially on days when I am the busiest. Of course, this will be a process to reach that goal little by little, but I will create this outlook to thrive myself into a healthy and happy prayer life.
All of these goals will be challenging, but that is what life is. I think 2022 was overall a good year. There were, of course, some rough patches from it, but I realized that every year is like that. There is no such thing as a “perfect” year, and it certainly will never happen. I am grateful that 2022 was as good as it was, and I am looking forward to what 2023 offers. The future is bright, and there are so many new opportunities in life to look forward to.
Happy New Year, Everyone!
I have looked back at the reflection from last year (which you can read: https://www.anthonymasters.org/blogs/new-years-reflection) and was reminded of the lessons I have learned from that year. Some of it I have followed, and many I did not. I want to transform these goals into new ones and hope to follow them as we approach 2023 (wow, that is weird to say, not alone typing it).
- Don’t be too hard on yourself.
This year I came through many challenges in my everyday life, and sometimes it is a struggle to get over those challenges. One example would be grades/GPA. Whenever I receive a grade I do not like; I tend to be hard on myself and stress over the result in my overall performance for the course. While it is important to earn good grades in college, one not-so-good grade does not determine your career. Rather, it can be a learning experience to move on from it. The same goes for activities outside of school, like running. I, of course, have bad races, and those races have brought me down at times, but one bad race does not have to affect my whole career as long as I keep moving forward and get better next time around. The same goes for everything I do. Setbacks are what make us keep moving and motivated.
2. Take everything step by step (don’t worry too much about the future).
I am currently going into the second semester of my Junior year, and it is crazy to think about. Time does fly, and it can be scary to think I will be finding a career path just over a year from now. With that said, I definitely know it will come eventually, but it doesn’t mean I should stress over it as long as I take it step by step. At this point in my life, I do not have a clear understanding of what my future job will be (specifically). Still, I do know it will be resolved as I continue doing well in school, be in close contact with my advisor, and look for part-time jobs/internships that relate to my major. As long as I am approaching those three components, I will find my way to success.
3. Value every moment of your life.
To be honest with you, this was a struggle for me this year. Whenever there is something that stresses me out, I tend to worry or focus on that instead of what is happening around me. It gets overwhelming at times, and I forget to focus on what I am doing at that moment. For example, whenever I have a large assignment due or an exam coming up, I focus too much on that particular thing rather than what is happening around me. If I am with friends at that moment, I tend to mainly think about what I am stressed about rather than the conversations I am having. This is something I am willing to try to overcome, and I know this will be a process, but I know it can be resolved little by little.
4. Speak up
I am a person who wants to let everyone around me be happy, but sometimes, it is not always the case. I am starting to build a better understanding that mental and physical health is essential. I have had many situations where I would want people around me to remain satisfied, leading me to feel stressed over their satisfaction. I know life will not go my way and it is good to benefit others, but it is not healthy to keep creating situations where people around me can take advantage of me in any circumstance. A wise person has told me, “There is a difference between being helpful and being taken advantage of.” I try to stand by that quote whenever I am in any situation. It is also difficult to say “no” at times because I feel bad about the person I am saying “no” to. Still, it is important to understand that my well-being is important, and sometimes I have to do what’s best for me whenever there is an overwhelming circumstance occurring.
5. Build a better prayer life and stay close to the Catholic Faith.
I have to be honest; my Faith hasn’t been where I wanted it to be compared to last year. My prayer life has been low lately, but it’s mainly because of how busy my life is at school. While working, taking six classes, and running, I tend to get caught up in all of it where prayer gets delayed or doesn’t occur. That is what I want to change, especially on days when I am the busiest. Of course, this will be a process to reach that goal little by little, but I will create this outlook to thrive myself into a healthy and happy prayer life.
All of these goals will be challenging, but that is what life is. I think 2022 was overall a good year. There were, of course, some rough patches from it, but I realized that every year is like that. There is no such thing as a “perfect” year, and it certainly will never happen. I am grateful that 2022 was as good as it was, and I am looking forward to what 2023 offers. The future is bright, and there are so many new opportunities in life to look forward to.
Happy New Year, Everyone!