“What” could make your 2023 different?

Holiday season is—for most of us—a time for family, friends and fellowship. Such transitions can strengthen our search for fulfillment. This could, for example, translate into achieving a meaningful career, building meaningful relationships or seeking a meaningful life. Finding meaning in whatever we do may be one of our deepest heartfelt desires. That is true for me and maybe for you, my friend, who is reading.

At the end of each year, I read notes in my daily journal and ask myself how I can live my life to its fullest. This is something I have been doing for several years. As Socrates once said, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” Today, I would like to share with you four “what” questions to help you navigate 2023 and live to your fullest potential.

1.?What am I most thankful for in 2022?

Not coming from a “celebrating Thanksgiving” culture myself, I have nonetheless learned to embrace gratitude daily. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful or the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. It is known to increase positive emotions, reduce the risk of depression, heighten relationship satisfaction, and increase resilience in the face of stressful life events, among other benefits.

Gratitude is a gift from nature that connects us to a sense of happiness. Personally, I am most grateful for my wife, whom I consider to be a gift from God. How about you? What are you most grateful for in your life right now? Who has contributed most to your success? Have you ever told them how grateful you are for their help? Maybe it is a good time to write each of these people a thank-you note.

2.?What was your biggest lesson learned in the past year?

Life can only be understood looking backward, but it must be lived forward. – Kierkegaard

For this past year, the greatest lesson that I have learned is that I have much more control over what I experience, much more than I realize. Whether it's dealing with the difficulty in working with this colleague, the long hours that I spent arguing with the person who would later become my wife, or the medical diagnosis for one of my relatives, in all these situations, I had the choice of looking at the circumstances and doing nothing about it, or asking myself how I could respond to this challenge that I faced and act on it. Did you learn any great life lessons in the past year? If you did, what is the most important one?

Kierkegaard said: "Life can only be understood looking backward, but it must be lived forward." As we become clearer about where we have been, we can now look towards where we are going.

3.?If you knew you could not fail, what would you attempt in 2023?

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. – Theodore Roosevelt

Like many of us did as teenager, I also played “truth or dare” numerous times. It is one of these moments that someone in the group comes up with an unexpected and jaw-dropping question that becomes, in this case, a turning point in your life. It became so when I realized the power of truth questions that could change and elevate our perspective. The truth question I want to ask you today is, 'What would you like to see happening in 2023?' and 'How committed are you to making it happen?' It could be a project that has been put aside, a childhood dream that you think is too late to pursue, a long-lost friend with whom you've lost contact, or something you think is "for others and not for me."’

Whatever it is, you have the chance to make it happen. As Theodore Roosevelt said, ’do what you can, with what you have, where you are.’ Asking yourself where you want to focus your attention in the next year will help you answer the next question.

4.?What is your word for 2023?

Every year, I choose one word that would keep my focus for 12 months. Last year, it was humility; I realized that I was struggling a lot with my ego. This year, my word was boundaries, hoping to say ‘no’ more often to better honor the ‘yeses’ and promises that I was making. For the next year, after consulting my wife, I have decided to choose kindness. This past year, I was lacking a lot of kindness towards myself and others, and it was the root of much stress and emotional waste. Lots of turmoil and detours could be avoided, and it is something I hope to achieve in 2023. What word would you choose for next year?

After reviewing your answers, what do you need to do now? A book written in 2016 by J. Maxwell named ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ said this: Your life is before you. Fill these pages with kind acts, good thoughts, and matters of your heart. Write a great story of your life. As 2023 begins soon, what great story would you like to write for yourself?

I hope these questions were helpful, and I wish you the best for 2023!

#gratitude?#grow?#2023newyear?#kindness