Every end-of-the-year is about New Year’s resolutions, but Miss OHLALA has a different proposal to wave goodbye to 2022 – what about looking back?
According to Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” That is an important reflection for societies and a crucial element in the study of history. But when applying the same concept in our own lives, it can teach us a lot about ourselves.
Repeating actions is not necessarily a bad thing. Reflecting on past situations can help you avoid the not-so-good ones and reinforce the positive events. So, what is the best way to do it? Here go some ideas:
- Make a list of the things you’ve done this year that you are most proud of and take note of the things you are not so keen to repeat.
- Tidy up your space and put in evidence objects that bring good memories. It can be a recent trip souvenir or a gift from a beloved friend.
- When it comes to your wardrobe, get rid of clothes that bring you bad juju and wear more often the ones that give you joy and are associated with good feelings.
- 2022 was a year of re-discovering social gatherings, so print out some of your best moments and frame them or put them on your fridge. We usually gravitate to old photographs, but it is important to have the recent past close by to show you that you have been living your life at your best. Sometimes we think that only situations from many years ago were good and that it is not really true.
Your past has led and shaped you to where and who you are today. However, no matter what you discover while digging into it, please don’t forget to be kind to yourself.