6 things I wish to overcome in 2023

6 things I wish to overcome in 2023

Year 2023 just began and we are busy setting goals and resolutions for this year. I was sitting on my bean bag and writing down my goals for the year in my journal, it struck me. Why don’t I write down things that I desire to overcome in 2023 along with things that I want to achieve? It’s common to jot down and wish for abundance of whatever we want. But it’s equally important, I felt, to also take steps to avoid thoughts and bad habits that does no good to our lives.

How easy is it to break the cycle of thoughts and habits?

Definitely not easy. It takes a lot of time to come out of a habit. Especially bad and toxic habits. In the beginning of our healing journey, it will feel really uncomfortable and make us wanting to go back to the same old thoughts processes. But, is it even a success if it didn’t make us uncomfortable at the start? Growth requires us to step out of our comfort zone and do things differently. The results will make us realize that all the initial discomfort was all worth it.

So here are the six things that I wish to overcome in 2023:

1. Comparing myself to others

“Comparison is the thief of joy”. We all have heard this quote a thousand times, but do we follow it? I have always caught myself comparing my life and possession to that of others. Even though I have learnt to minimize such thoughts overtime, I desire to get rid of it from root and never let it grow again. I am exactly where I am supposed to be and request each one of you to feel the same about yourself.

I have begun to practice gratitude and be thankful for everything I have received in life. It is important to understand that every person has their life already written by God and maybe the life that we desire may not be the best for us. I have a post written completely on this topic. Please read here.

2. Scrolling through social media for several hours a day

This habit has drained my mental energy, and it was crystal clear what social media does to my wellbeing. But, it is a drug that we cannot live without. I am not saying social media is bad, but when used in excess can affect our overall health. It also prevents me from working on my tasks and made me a procrastinator. 

One method that I used is hiding the app from my home screen. This helps me to control my urge to check Instagram every time I pick my phone. This has helped me in reducing screen time and use that time to work on something that is actually important.

3. Hating the way I look

This is something that I am trying to overcome for like years now. Hating my body and constantly complaining about my appearance took a toll on my mental health. I blindly believed everything that was told about my body and started comparing myself to others. It all starts when someone else starts telling us that our body is not good enough. It is called body shaming.

I read this quote on Instagram which goes something like this: “Your appearance is the least interesting thing about you.” We are much more than our body size or skin color. After we are gone, we will be remembered for our kindness and work that we have done and not how our body was built. And our body is made to shelter our organs and our soul. Its function is to keep us healthy and alive, which has nothing to do with its color or size.

4. Making excuses for skipping tasks

Suppose I am going out at 2 P.M. to a supermarket or to meet my friends. I used to not work from morning and give excuse like I was away from home all day. This led to incomplete tasks and frustrations. It’s easy to make excuses, but managing time and discipline is a trait of the wise.

Preparing a to-do list in my journal has helped me to be productive. When I write my goals for the day, I feel accountable for these goals and feel the urge to complete all the tasks. I use a journal by The Journal Lab which I absolutely love.

5. Thinking everybody hates me

There was this funny thought that was taking rounds in my mind. I used to force my mind to believe that nobody likes me and that I was not good enough to be loved. Due to low self-esteem, I thought that I do not look good enough and that I radiate bad aura.

With time, I realized that people actually care for me. They encourage me to do better and actually want to spend time with me. And it was very wrong of me to assume such negative thought about others as well as myself.

6. Dodging from doing things that I actually want to do

I always wanted to do a lot of things but kept them at arm’s length because I am not good at it. Deep down I knew I wanted to try some activities like recording my own videos, clicking my pictures, play sports or draw. But I kept avoiding those because I didn’t want to embarrass myself in case I did something wrong or it didn’t come out well.

Nowadays, I started coming out of my cocoon and started doing things that I always wanted to do. I went to an amusement park, played with my colleagues, tried to draw and learnt how to serve in volleyball. It was possible because I thought to myself “What’s the worst that can happen?”. It boosted my confidence and prepared me to face new challenges every day.

So, these are the 6 things that I wish to overcome completely in 2023 and it is a work in progress. What are you wishing to overcome in 2023? Tell me in the comments.