The salte effect

Kanisa George

ALL HAIL the season of resolutions!

It's the one time of year when everyone tries to be laser-focused, rid themselves of negative energy, and overindulge in the "how-to steps" that will see them achieve their goals and dreams in the coming year. The privilege of starting over is one that most don't take for granted. Some believe this privilege is divine intervention, a gift from the universe in the form of a reset button that somehow automatically makes everything better.

Stepping into the new year gives most of us a sense of renewed hope and a chance to structure our lives in a new light influenced by the spirit of rejuvenation, drive and even a new perspective.

In keeping with the spirit of the new, there's an unspoken or, in some cases, loudly spoken New Year's tradition that suggests we cleanse our lives in preparation to start anew. This cleansing ritual isn't only in the literal sense, but encompasses every aspect of our lives.

Those of us who relish in the opportunity to start fresh are often encouraged to adopt a clean-slate agenda, where the main objective is to leave all the negativity behind. All the pain, negative experiences and personal shortcomings are left at the door as we step forward into the "new" with a positive lease on life.

In our bid to ring in the new year unencumbered, some of us don't actually wipe the slate clean. Unsurprisingly, most of us are guilty of conveniently selecting all the good experiences and taking them along with us into the new year.

But why do we adopt this course of action? Is it me, or are we predisposed to think nothing good comes from our bad experiences? Should in with the new out with the bad be our first port of call?

Strained relationships, death and all the other heavy stuff, we've all been affected by a laundry list of negative things last year.

In case you didn't notice, each year of our lives is punctuated by the presence of negative, sometimes horrible, experiences that we must live through to get to the next phase of our lives, whatever that might look like. Turning our backs on those negative experiences doesn't only affect who we are now, but can potentially impact who we could be in the long run.

No one likes to ruminate on the bad, and there's enough well-placed research which suggests that dwelling on negative experiences might have adverse effects on your well-being and mental health.

Good experiences undoubtedly boost our confidence, release positive hormones and make us feel good about ourselves. These positive experiences also give us a roadmap of what to look forward to and how to build our lives in a way that enables us to reap positive rewards. With this in mind, it is no surprise that most of us would welcome these experiences.

But what if I suggest to you that negative experiences can also be used to reap positive results? And just like positive experiences, we can use the bad as a roadmap to live a better, more fulfilling life.

Don't be so quick to reject or ignore all those bad things that happened in 2023, as they might just provide you with the blueprint needed to face the next stage in your life.

Instead of clearing away the bad to make way for all the good we're manifesting in 2024, we should endeavour to critically assess the lessons contained within the belly of the negative.

Shouldn't we use the negative experiences of the year gone by to help us reflect on how we should show up for ourselves and others? Shouldn't we use all the bad stuff to help us create more meaning by giving us an idea of what the best version of ourselves should look like?

Starting new by pushing the negative away is akin to giving power to our negative experiences. We essentially class the year gone by as a "negatively defining moment," preventing us from turning it into a positive lesson.

Columnist Amy Cubbon believes that in order to grow through bad experiences, we need to value them. We might be tempted to think, "Why me?" Think instead, "What can this experience teach me?" or "How can this experience shape me?" As hard as this might be to fathom when in the throes of darkness, negative experiences are a chance for us to get better.

When we ignore negative experiences, we may miss out on an opportunity to become inspired. Discomfort can be the catalyst that pushes us to achieve better and create a happier existence for ourselves and those around us.

In times of trials, we endure the hard stuff, but amid darkness we can sometimes experience the birth of creativity and new ideas. No matter how complex or uncomfortable those experiences are, we can always learn something of value from our difficult moments.

Whether you're looking forward to starting over, turning a new leaf or going with the flow, don't be afraid to take the lessons from your memories and experiences, the good, the bad and the ugly, along for the ride. Don't be afraid to embrace the hurt, joy and confusion of your remarkable life and move forward in light and love.

May goodness find you in the coming year. Peace and love to you and yours. Happy 2024.