We don’t know about you, but we have not enjoyed much of 2022. It has been a challenge at times to find the positives in a year that has thrown some nasty curved balls in our direction.
Let’s face it, recent years haven’t been that great have they? Words and phrases like ‘lockdown’, ‘global pandemic’, ‘self isolating’, ‘lateral flow’, ‘next slide please’ and ‘you are on mute’ became part of our day to day language.
Not only have we had to learn to live with Covid19 and all it’s variants, in the past 12 months we’ve had to cope with events and situations that have been difficult to process, shocking, scary or upsetting.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been tough for those watching on the sidelines, not to mention those experiencing the anguish, fear and terror that military conflict brings when it happens on your doorstep.
Globally we are all feeling the impact of this conflict, regardless of how close or far we live to the war zone. Food, energy and the financial markets are just a few of the areas taking an indirect hit.
Closer to home, in the UK we are still trying to recover from what is now almost 3 years of change and disruption. The pandemic and now the war in Europe is leaving us bruised mentally, physically and financially.
Nobody’s lives are untouched as we worry about the future, our fuel bills, our health and the price of our weekly shop.
It hasn’t all been dreadful this year. Who can forget the Nation’s joy when the Lionesses won the Euros 2022? The joy on Sam Ryder’s face when he came second only to Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest. Paddington Bear celebrating a Platinum Jubilee with the Queen. There have been many opportunities to smile.
But Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away this year and the country was united for a while in grief. While some remembered our longest serving monarch, others reflected on their own lives and loved ones who are no longer with us.
We have been on the longest roller coaster ride of our lives these past few years. Just as we thought the ride was slowing down and we might be able to get off, life has given us more twists and turns, more highs and lows.
Perhaps you have missed important events over the last few years. Many of us have still not had a holiday abroad, cancelled a wedding, or put our personal or professional ambitions on hold.
Nobody has been imune from this ‘blue 22’. We’ve lost the likes of Meat Loaf, Olivia Newton-John, Leslie Phillips, and Irene Cara. Will Smith and Johnny Depp have endured negative publicity. Even multiple F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has admitted that 2022 was one of the worst seasons in his career.
It’s no wonder that so many people are experiencing a Blue ’22 and are describing 2022 as their worst year ever. How many of us are struggling with feelings of sadness, anxiety or depression right now?
If you are like us and feeling a bit down in the dumps about life, we think it’s time we did something about it. Yes, things are tough right now, but we can’t end the year feeling low. Christmas is around the corner, and we can still enjoy it if we try.
There are things that are totally out of our control and trying to fix those is a non-starter. But there are things we can influence and change, so let’s look at how we can bring some positivity back into our lives:
Reassess Your Habits This Winter – read this blog for tips on how to boost your happiness by removing damaging patterns from your life.
How to Overcome Future Fatigue and Enjoy the Now – only you can control the choices you make. This blog will help you discover your sphere of influence.
F*ck This Shit: How to Change Your Life in Middle Age – the perfect blog if you are looking to change your mid-life crisis into a mid-life reboot.
How to Overcome Toxic Productivity – if you have a never-ending to-do list then this blog is what you need. Learn how to say ‘no’ and regain some balance in your life.
Stop Being Such a People Pleaser – this will blog will help you if you feel overstretched, overwhelmed and spend far too much of your own time making other people happy.
How to Become More Resilient – if you dwell on failure or wallow in regret, then this blog will help you to boost your resilience, bounce back and grow stronger.
You won’t change your life overnight and we can’t wave a magic wand and make 2023 better than 2022. But by using some of the hints and tips we have shared with you in our blogs, you can work on your arsenal of coping mechanisms and be more prepared for the year ahead.
What have you got to lose?
SJB
So Just Be 