When l cracked open my fortune cookie… this is what it said for 2022

This is the week that every pundit make predictions for the upcoming year as what to expect whether good, bad or indifferent. Predictions and commitments are usually embraced in the first 15 days and then in many cases forgotten for the rest of the year. During these unchartered times, we need to be creative and look at the future in a much more open-minded approach to life and how we cope with it.

Each day, we spend time thinking about the future and what lies ahead. While we live in the moment and often think fondly of the past, we also spend a good chunk of time thinking about the future and trying to anticipate what’s around the corner. This is the normal way most think and l am here to tell you that we need to rethink how we approach life and how we set future priorities. In fact, one way to look at things is what not to do and what one should be avoiding to make life much more fulfilling.

I will share with you things that should avoided and some areas that if you have not thought about, but may want to consider…

Everyone has a quick get rich scheme or a stock market play that will make you rich. The next time someone offers you advice, say thank you and tell them that you will take it under consideration. There is no easy way to getting rich or putting more money into your pocket instantly. There are sound investment opportunities, but invest through reputable folks and make sure that you get more than one reference on that person. Quick money does not exist and if it sounds too good to be true, it is. You may want to consider a start up on your own where you have your own risk and reward in your own hands. This is something that is under your control and can be shut down at your convenience and not at the whim of someone else.

Be grateful for what you have thus far, and l am not speaking about material things. Be grateful for being in the now, appreciate all the good around you. Gratitude is more than just the feeling of thankfulness. We build upon it by redirecting our focus into making gratefulness an intrinsic part of our lives 365 days a year. Gratitude requires us to stay alert about the role of others in our lives. Through gratitude, we get to make a sense of our lives and learn to credit our loved ones with the thankfullness they deserve.

Listen more than you speak. Try to make this a new habit, as you get more out of listening than you will opening up your mouth. The technique of listening is something that you need to practice, because as simple as this may sound, listening is an acquired habit. Having effective skills means being able to display interest in the topic discussed and understand the information provided. In today’s society, the ability to communicate effectively is becoming increasingly important. Although the ability to speak effectively is a highly sought-after skill, developing effective listening skills is often not regarded in the same respect.

Walking is the new in, and as simple as that sounds, you need to go for a walk on a consistent basis. If you are physically able to walk around a room, go around the corner or a distance walk…this is the cheapest and best form of exercise and keeping you refocused. Start very small and work your way up to a minimum of 40 minutes per day. You will get newfound energy as well as keeping you refocused with clarity and a fresh mindset. Walking will help sharpen your immune system which in turn will help fight off germ and other variants that are out there. The phrase… walking is man’s best medicine…walking can be used for pleasure and improved health by incorporating it into our daily routine.

Revaluate your goals…. they may not be obtainable. Try to set some realistic goals that are obtainable and can be maintained. Forget about that bucket list, they may have worked for some, but most of us never do anything in that bucket. If you must have a bucket list, put things in perspective that you can realise today and not in the future.

Take some time each day and invest in yourself…go have a coffee alone and read a book for an hour. Get a massage or a facial, or my favourite a foot massage. Get a manicure or some form of leisure time to yourself. Think for a moment about yourself and something that would take your mind off the rat race for a few minutes. We always forget to take care of ourselves…. There is an old expression…” if you can’t take care of yourself, you aren’t able to take care of others.”

Make it a priority to cut out toxic people in your life in 2022. Reassess the people around you and ask yourself, why you associate with them. We tend to hang around negative folks, people that wear you down mentally and only give you acid at best and hang with folks that are positive and vibrant. You would be surprised at how much negativity and toxic individuals boog you down mentally and physically. When it comes to deciding how much a person is a toxic person in their life, l encourage people to take honest look of how this relationship is impacting their lives.

Try something new that is out of your comfort zone. Experiment with new ideas and entertain the thought of spicing things up in your life once in a while. Go buy that new piece of clothing or try that new restaurant that you have always wanted to check out. Rent an exotic car or do something adventurous that gets your juices going. Spice your life.

If you experiment with something new, it may change your life.

“We are an exact microcosm – or mini version – of the Universe, and when we know ourselves, we know the entire Universe.”

“Know thyself” said Plato

Vincent Black/MS