I can't believe another year has come and gone so fast. Another year of life changes, of personal growth and development, and of wishes for the upcoming year. It seems like it all went by in the blink of an eye. A new year signals a fresh start, a new beginning. A new year means new promises, new goals, and hope to achieve them all. It's inspiring how many people use their new year's resolutions as a jumping off point to a better life. This year should be no different. However, if you're trying to begin again in 2015, there are some feelings you should leave behind in good old 2014.
1. Resentment
Resentment is that ugly little devil that comes and sits on your shoulder every once in awhile. It's those feelings of anger and displeasure that slowly creep up at someone or something that is perceived by you to be unfair. Dreaded unfairness! It just makes you want to stamp your feet and throw your hands up in the air like a child in a tantrum doesn't it? Well I've learned that I'm an adult and you can't do that. I've also learned that resentment does not change the unfairness. Life is unfair and you won't always get your way. Harboring resentments will only hurt you in the long run. It's best to accept these feelings and release them. Don't bring your heavy resentments into the new year.
2. Regret
Oh nasty, overwhelming, coulda-shoulda-woulda, regret. It's soul wrenching. It's not just the regrets we loathe, it's the feeling of never being able to accept certain events or actions. Regret will consume you if you let it. The replaying of situations and scenarios becomes methodical after awhile. The truth is you'll never be able to go back to those moments. The past is the past and it should stay there. Learn from it, grieve for it, and let it go. Don't let regret drag you into 2015.
3. Anger
I feel like I've had anger management issues since I was a young girl. Everything just devastated me. I just couldn't deal with the smallest things making me mad. I had no concept of letting things go and I finally found out it hurt no one but myself. Anger will eat you up inside and chip away little by little at your positive happy heart. Anger doesn't change situations and it doesn't make the outcome any different. I encourage you to release your anger this year. Leave it behind and instead think of positive ways to change your life.
4. Anxiety
Anxiety can be a complex feeling. It's that constant worry that nags at you and the fluttering your heart does every time you think you forgot to do something. Anxiety is that catalog of possibilities that you file away in your brain and flip through every time you feel uneasy about a situation. Some people cannot control it no matter how hard they try. If you have not been medically diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and even if you have, I suggest trying to release your negative energy and focusing on the positive. Practice meditation by relaxing your mind. These things can help reduce anxiety levels. Get the right amount of sleep, eat well, forgive yourself for not getting it right today, and try again tomorrow.
5. Shame
Google defines shame as: a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. I know it as a deep feeling of emptiness inside my soul. It's a combination of humiliation and self-loathing. Shame is the wall that forbids you to come to terms with who you really are as a person. It's that feeling that sometimes pushes you to the edge; that makes you think maybe you can't make it through another day. It can be debilitating. Shame can prevent you from becoming the person you're meant to be. It can make you feel like you're not worthy when you are. Shame should be left behind in 2014 because it has no place in your positive future. It serves no purpose but to slow your self growth and damage your self confidence.
At the end of every year we reflect on the past and we make promises to ourselves to become better people. Yet most of us still harbor these five feelings, even when starting fresh. If your goal is to achieve your dreams, to become a better version of yourself, or to simply just be happy, I encourage you to let go of shame, regret, resentment, anxiety, and anger. Leave those unhealthy emotions behind in 2014. By doing this, you'll truly start 2015 with a clean slate ready for prosperity.
You can follow Kelly's personal blog here: The Adventures Of A Sober Señorita