I have been thinking on my 2022 one word for quite a while. Usually words come to me rather quickly. Last year, recenter, was almost instantaneous... but this year I struggled, so I decided to just do a brain dump...
As I brainstormed, there were so many words that came to mind, some of which included:
- enrich
- learn
- expand
- selfish
I really reflected upon what these words had in common. The last one, especially, since it was really unexpected. I am not a selfish person by nature. I have always thought of myself as an everyone-else-first kind of person. So I was a little shocked when this word came to mind.
It has been a long year. for everyone. I and I mean everyone. Teachers, students, staff members, parents, flight attendants, the medical community... everyone has been overwhelmed... Even that group of people that you think are doing really well. They aren't. They're struggling.
2020 was a horror movie. 2021 was the sequel to the horror movie. And we all know there is not a single horror film where the sequel was better than the original.
Possible consideration for...
Still, what did my brainstorming mean? Finally I saw the connections and a word came to me that encapsulated what I needed.
Control
2021 was out of control. As much as I tried to (and successfully did) recenter many aspects of my life including family, friendships, and running, I didn't have control over so many other aspects. The problem was that I didn't realize (or want to admit) there were hundreds...thousands...millions of things OUT of my control... but I still wanted to control them. How many students were in class... Who was out sick... If classes were virtual, in person, or some hybrid plan. If friends or colleagues wanted to talk. or text. or video call. I had control over none of these things, yet I wanted control over all of them.
When I reflected over what I needed... it was control. Not control over things that I didn't have power over, but control over things I did. Control over my emotions. I'd lost that in 2021. In 2022, I will focus on what I can control:
- I can control my actions.
- I can control how I treat others.
- I can control my responses.
- I can control what time I go to sleep. What I eat. What I watch.
- I can control my effort.
2022 is all about controlling what I can control... and doing my best to let go of things that I can't.
I don't think it will be easy. I am, by nature, a pretty anxious person. The past two years have not helped this part of my personality.
But how I respond to situations is within my control. And 2022 will be about regaining that control.
