Due to the coming of the “end of the world,” many people were afraid that we wouldn’t even reach Christmas Day in 2012, even less, reach the New Year.
After the hype, there was more space for reflection the successes, the happy moments, the learning lessons, and the simple occurrences in our “everyday life” that turn out to be some of the nicest stories we have with us forever.
Every year, most people make resolutions focused on losing weight, stressing less, and saving money. I personally did not do a “New Year’s Resolution” not because I don’t believe in them, but because I decided to take a challenge beyond the units of time and follow a simple rule…
Seize the moment to the fullest, because that is all you have at the moment. Be aware of the moment and embrace it.
Such an idea started in the middle of a stressful finals week at UC Berkeley when I had not only study for exams, but I also had to facilitate events for my scholarship group. I decided to take a short but educational break, so I opened up a TED talk online called, “Want to be happier? Stay in the moment”.
Matt Killingsworth, the speaker, talked about the correlation between mind wandering and happiness, and after compiled experiments, the results were in: the less we wandered off from the task at hand, no matter how positive the thought, the less happy we truly were at the moment.
Ever since his speech, I have tried to share the video with other stressed peers as it came at a perfect time when I studied for one class, while thinking about how much I would struggle to manage time for another task.
Now, after finals and holiday preparation, I am on a long and relaxing break back at home with my family, where chores and babysitting are my daily tasks. Coming back home, I remember the times when I made up poems while sweeping the kitchen; songs I sang with my sisters during walks to the park; and even hang drying in my backyard was a space for dreams to form.
Those and more memories of what at the time seemed like simple, meaningless moments of my life, are now beautiful stories I have with me. With such reflection, I remembered the idea of seizing each moment to the fullest, and my tasks seem more meaningful, as they are.
Guiterrez: “Well, resolutions are goals we set ourselves, some take longer than others, but they all take steps, and ultimately they work to make us happier people.”(iStockphoto/ Thinkstock)
All our moments are meaningful, it is a matter of how aware of it we are of it. So, you might ask: What does this have to do with New Year’s Resolutions?
Well, resolutions are goals we set ourselves, some take longer than others, but they all take steps, and ultimately they work to make us happier people. With those steps we try to keep focus of what benchmarks we want to reach. But if we don’t achieve our goals, then we may feel like a failure, because we don’t look back at the hard work we put in, even if we did work really hard.
This is where taking in the moment to the fullest comes in: for every step we take, we must try to embrace the ride, embrace the steps taken.
I did not say enjoy, because what is worth working for is not always easy, but it is valuable and strengthening. When we are aware of the moments we seize, then when we can take a run and focus on a run. We can embrace the ride towards meeting a goal towards fitness, a common New Year’s Resolution.We embrace the moments, we appreciate the steps taken and value our dedication. And we then believe that we can do anything that our hearts desire. Realize that resolutions are like puzzles. Without careful attention of each moment…each puzzle piece… we cannot complete the puzzle.
So now, believe that this new year will be a fulfilling one. But you have to look at your resolutions beyond the time frame. Instead just seize the moment; focusing on your goal and embracing it as you take steps closer to fulfilling it and as you take closer steps to gaining true happiness…
Happy New Year’s!
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