How time flies.
Already, 2014 is here with us, and with a new year, perhaps another chance to start afresh. You may or may not have accomplished what you set out to do in 2013; you may have made mistakes that either caused bitterness or led to a better you; you may have fallen behind in your plans; or you may have weathered some storms. It is possible that when you look back to 2013, there may be one or two things that make you want to pinch yourself in shame or maybe even blow a whistle on yourself: a bad business decision, a careless word, unproductive thoughts, a road not travelled, or a wrong road travelled––situations that bring regret.
Soon, 2013 will become a part of history and you will never be able to go back to it. That sounds like freedom to me: an opportunity to leave some things behind and turn the next page of life. We don’t have to be slaves to the stains and blemishes of 2013. Although there is nothing magical about the start of a new year, it nonetheless provides an opportunity to pause and reflect; to re-think our priorities; to re-focus our goals; to re-imagine our strategies; to interrogate our perspectives on some things; and to start new routes, and see new possibilities.
A biblical sage encourages us to learn to forget what is behind us, and to press on towards that which is ahead. In this context, forgetting the past would mean forgetting the mistakes of 2013 but keeping the lessons learnt because in spite of the mistakes, you still have a future to look towards. Putting the past in the past is not about denial, but about the transformation of our past experiences into fuel for our dreams.
If you tried and failed in 2013, you can still try again. Throwing yourself a giant pity party will not make things better; that is not what champions do. Champions are intentional people. Champions plan. Champions purpose. Champions aim.
You do not stay fit by accident.
You do not get married by accident.
You do not get children by accident (okay, maybe sometimes this might happen)
You do not become great by accident.
You do not succeed by accident.
No matter how 2013 turned out, still, be intentional about 2014. What are you going to do or not do? What habits will you change or develop? Be intentional––it may be the best gift you give yourself in 2014.
