It’s that time of year, when many people start the tradition of “new year’s resolutions”. Others will be looking for a bit of time away to reflect and clear their minds for the upcoming year. No matter which of these you feel you might be, at a minimum choose optimism and learning going into 2023.

sunlight pass through cactus during golden hour — Photo by Robert Murray on Unsplash

Optimism is a tricky word. Some people will treat optimism as a blind faith, while others have too much cynicism to entertain optimistic thoughts. So here are a few ideas to help you gain some optimism for 2023.

You survived 2022

Never discount that you’re here and you made it. And before you scoff at the existentialism of this, really take it in. This year many of us experienced some of the worst events of our lives. For many of us that was personal and at home, while for some it was work related. I’m glad you’re here.

You did amazing things

Are you forgetting all the work you did in 2022? Did you not give yourself enough credit for your achievements? I bet that’s true. We often neglect to record or review our accomplishments, because we’re myopic about what’s happening next.

You are wiser than you were

We often neglect to consider that because of everything we have been through, we’ve naturally grown wiser as a result. This isn’t cute sage thinking. I mean unequivocal growth in our intellect and awareness. Don’t forget that going into 2023, you have all of 2022 in your toolbox.

Everyday we are learning, whether it’s intended or not. Sometimes we learn as a result of miscalculations, and sometimes it’s a gift of circumstance. Regardless of the mechanics, we’ve learned a great deal and should continue to do that next year. Here are a few thoughts to help.

You are endowed with limitless potential

Does that sound trite? Maybe. But if you were to be honest with yourself, what’s stopping you from doing all the things that make you happy? Generally the hurdle will be your capacity to learn new things. And for this, I would argue that learning is a choice, and you should always choose it.

You know what you know

Remind yourself as often as you can, that you have a wealth of experience, and that you can use that to propel your next steps. While I advocate for beginner’s mind and remind you to always start from a position of “I don’t know, let’s find out together”, I will add that we should never forget all that we’ve learned.

You control the lesson plan

You can and should reframe your experiences in 2023 that feel like failures or mistakes as learning opportunities. Easier said than done, but if you remind yourself that you are constantly learning, it opens up opportunities, and allows us to go forward in a more healthy way.

No one can predict the future, not even ChatGPT. Keep that in mind as you navigate next year. There will continue to be bumps along the way, but we can work to make them positive, and turn them to our advantage.

Software is a human endeavor. Here is to a wonderful new year!

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