In The New Year, I Hope You Can Leave These 5 Things Behind You
If you’re doing the best you can, if you’re striving to be better than you were yesterday, you’re doing a great job.
Leave behind your fear. The fear of rejection, fear that people won’t like you, fear of being different, fear of being alone. If you base your life on fear, you won’t be open to opportunities that may present themselves. Life is full of risks, from jobs, to friendships, to love, and everything in between. Let go of your fear and embrace life, knowing that with risk comes reward.
Leave behind your doubt. We’re all unsure at some point. We worry that we should’ve achieved more, should’ve been more. We overanalyze and compare ourselves to what we see, and worry that others will base our value on our shortcomings. Accept yourself and where you’re at in your life, and take comfort in knowing that the only opinion that matters, is the one you have of yourself. If you’re doing the best you can, if you’re striving to be better than you were yesterday, you’re doing a great job.
Leave behind your inflated sense of pride. The sense of superiority and the belief that we can do it all. Be confident, but not cocky. No one person is better than the next, just like no one person can do everything, even if they sometimes act like they can. We need to remember that it’s okay to not be the best at something, it’s okay to ask for help.
Leave behind your silence. Have the courage to speak up, about the worst situations, the things that have caused you pain, the things that have scarred you. Most of us suffer in silence because we think no one will understand, that they won’t care, or that they’ll judge us. What we don’t realize is that most of those people are going through similar struggles, and it only takes one person to stand up, to show that it’s okay, to start an epidemic of honesty. Speak up and free yourself from your suffering.
Leave behind relationships that do not serve you. The friends you kept in your life just because you’ve known them for years. The ex you want to be friends with for God knows why. If those relationships cause you anguish, if they don’t make you a better person, if they make you feel like shit, inadequate, or insecure, walk away. Leave those people behind and free yourself from those burdens.
But most importantly, I hope you can leave behind anything that did not serve you well this past year. The habits that had no positive impact on your health, the toxic people you let into your life, the job that made you suffer. I hope you remember that every day you get another chance. A chance to make new choices, to do things differently, to choose happiness. And whatever you do, I really hope you choose happiness. 
