Wishing you a breakthrough year
The clock was about to strike midnight. As we counted down from ten to zero, our expectations and hopes increased beat by beat. We have all been craving something new, something happy, some untainted.
Growing up in Brazil, New Year always had some extra magic. We all dress in white to symbolize peace, and we gather in big family and friend groups. We feast together, and when the clock strikes midnight, we watch the fireworks for 20 minutes nonstop. You don't have to be downtown or at a big festival; every neighbourhood has its own celebration. It's beautiful and magical. It makes you feel that all that hope and magic is really possible. And while the fireworks drum in the background, we all sing:
Goodbye, old year. Hello, New Year.
Shall all your dreams come true in the year about to be born.
Lots of money in your pocket
Enough health to give and to sell”
But New Year’s Eve in our suburban town isn't that climatic. We didn't even hear or see fireworks. We counted from ten to zero, gave each other a hug and sipped a small glass of champagne. And went on with our evening. What changed from 2022 to 2023? What changes in that one minute to make us hopeful that 2023 will be a better year than the year before?
I think, as humans, we rely on symbolism for everything. And this is just another one of those. Just like you start a diet on a Monday, or you keep postponing better habits to the next BIG change. Or maybe is just the external prompt to reflection. To look inward and define your goals, your dreams, and your path.
I've been journaling for a long time, and as part of my reflective process for this year, I went back to my 2010 journals. What that gave me was a wake-up call. It's been 13 years, and many of my writings from that year could have been replicated yesterday. Although many of my new year resolutions have been achieved, some of the most important questions and goals have been postponed year, after year, after year.
Maybe that's because personal, professional and spiritual growth are not as easily measured. Or maybe it is because working on these difficult things takes more commitment than saving money, buying a car, a house or starting a new hobby. Or even because having these difficult reflections doesn't bring you the same immediate happiness that the other things do. One way or the other, I realized that the things that have tormented and annoyed me the longest, are the ones I work on the least.
So instead of wishing everyone a happy new year, I wish you a breakthrough year. I wish you are able to face the things you have been postponing the longest, the fears you have been hiding from, the truths you’ve been denying.
There’s no true happiness when we are not honest to ourselves. When we are not fully committed to growing and becoming better people. Facing our traumas and our fears. Finally pursuing our goals and our dreams. So before I wish you happiness, I wish you strength to breakthrough the noise and do the things you need to do.
Happiness will come. All will make sense. But you need to start here, with the difficult steps.
I wish you all a breakthrough year!
