As the year ends, we take December as a time of reflection and January as a time of hope. Let's change it up a bit! Shall we?

The month of December is one of the most exciting months of the year for many of us, as we like to reflect on the past year. There are those who find it sweet; there are those who find it bitter; and still others who find it bittersweet.

I sat down over the weekend to write and reflect on my journey in 2022. There are just too many things to say and there is not enough space to express them all. I am not intending to completely skip over it, but I want you to remember that 2022 was a difficult year. It has been a year of both struggle and triumph. It has been a year of both pain and joy. It has been a year of both awareness and insecurity.

Reflecting a bit more, I realize I am more grateful now for things I never thought I would be grateful for a year ago. As of December 2021, I had no intention of becoming a passionate storyteller; I was mainly concerned with the accessibility of digital content. Yet 2022 surprised me; I surprised myself. Furthermore, I tell you, it was not the joy of being recognized as an inclusive communicator. Instead, it was the sense of belonging to the community and also to the organization that I work with.

At the end of the year, many people reflect, and as the New Year begins, they wait with anticipation and hope. It is common for people to set New Year's Resolutions to set goals for the New Year, establish new habits, and break outdated ones. Starting a brand-new chapter in your life at the beginning of the New Year can often be an appropriate time. This is why people make New Year's resolutions.

December and January, both are simply months in the year

But the insights they carry are not the same and clear

One denotes new beginnings, the other marks an ending

Nothing changes and yet everything is different

Sometimes you just need to change your outlook

And the whole thing seems cheerful and newr        

These are all just our perceptions, aren't they? If you think about it, they are simply months of the year. Though everything remains the same, isn't it just our perceptions that change? To be honest, like many people, I do not believe in New Year's Resolutions. There has never been one that I have successfully managed to follow or see through to the end. So, let's call this a non-resolution. Trust me when I say that I do not make new year's resolutions. It used to be that my new year's resolutions were “This year I wish _____”, “This year I will accomplish _____”, and “This year I will try _____!" I would remember these resolutions for only one month and then forget about them.

The majority of New Year's resolutions, including mine, are too aspirational, unrealistic, ambitious, and vague. Hence I changed my system. We need a clear definition of New Year's resolutions and a way to track and achieve them. Here are a few tips that I want to share with you on how you can realistically achieve your goals in style.

· Be specific:?By narrowing down your goals, you will be able to achieve them more effectively.

·?Set realistic goals:?When I say realistic goals, I mean that setting them should not overwhelm you.

·?Take the first step:?If you wait for the moment when everything is in the right alignment you will never get started. There is always a lot of difficulty in attempting the first step.

·?Identify Potential Obstacles and Real Solutions: Fear of failure, fear of success, and lack of self-confidence are all obstacles to reaching goals. It is easier to overcome an obstacle if there is a potential solution.

·?Reward yourself:?Achieving significant goals in life can truly be difficult yet so rewarding. When you complete your goal it is important to reward yourself for this achievement.        

Have you set any resolutions for 2023? If you haven't planned or figured it out yet, it's okay. Whatever you do in December 2022, keep up with the flow; you never know what will happen in December 2023! I would like to point out that December is both a month of hope and reflection, while January is the continuation of that. Shall we make some doable resolutions and take action from today onwards? I know, I will. What about you?