Am I the only one who becomes so wise at the dawn of the New Year?

I remember the good and the bad and all the lessons I have learned from them. I remember the things I never thought would happen and the people I didn’t know I would meet.

I remember everything, and although I promise myself to keep learning, I always forget about (most of) the moments of awakening.

I forget everything and become so silly by mid-year. My wisdom is nowhere to be seen and the lessons vanish into thin air.

Consequently, I have promised myself this year to create reminders. I need reminders.

I want to remember what I have learned in 2022 because the truth is the lessons are timeless:

1. This too shall pass. When the worst happens, I want to remember that it will pass and in a couple of months or years it won’t matter anymore.

2. I might get hurt. Even if I love myself and have transformed my life and think that nothing will ever get to me, I choose to be real and remember that someone or something out there might hurt me.

3. I will move on. It’s true I might get hurt, but I will get over it, eventually. As Frida Kahlo says, “At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.”

4. I might lose people. Maybe temporarily, maybe for good.

5. I will meet new people and I will try something new.

6. Nothing is certain. I will remember that nothing is known. Everything around me is fragile; I don’t know when it might break, so I have to be prepared.

7. I might miss someone. A lost friend, a long-forgotten lover, or a family member who has passed away. It won’t be easy.

8. I will learn something new. I just need to be attentive. Our greatest lessons are closer than we think.

9. I might regret something. But I like to think that it is what it is.

10. I will change. And I must accept it. I won’t get attached to one version of me.

11. I might cry. I should cry. It’s okay to cry.

12. I might be scared. But I choose to conquer my fear.

13. I might start all over again.

14. I might change my mind about something. It’s never too late to change course.

15. This present moment won’t come again. I should appreciate it.

16. I might make bad choices. Who doesn’t anyway?

17. I might not easily let go of the past. But I’ll try my best.

18. I need to choose kindness. Always.

19. My goals may shift.

20. I might be faced with failures. Not everything will go my way, but I’ll keep going.

21. Things will be okay. I will be okay.

22. I might worry, but I shouldn’t. It’s useless.

23. I might forget about these reminders.

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