Control, Alt, Delete 2020: Time to move forward, towards 2021

It is the beginning of a new year and it is the time when many people begin to reflect on the previous year. This when there are numerous thoughtful articles and TV shows dedicated to looking back at the previous year, asking us to consider what we have learned, gained, and lost in 2020. Here’s a thought: Let’s forget 2020 and move on.

I think we can all agree, 2020 was one of the worst years in our collective histories and we would rather forget about it. Thinking of going back in time and remembering what we suffered is asking to inflict even more pain than necessary. Now more than ever, let’s move on. However, it may be easier said than done. This is when a purposeful strategy can help you mentally step out of 2020 and into 2021, ready to feel a sense of hope once again.

Mind’s power

You are likely familiar with the concept of the mind and its power to influence how you feel and act in response to those feelings. But consider how powerful the human mind really is. As long as you are in control of your mind and directing your emotional reactions, it is your responsibility to ensure that all vital organs and essential bodily functions function, unless, of course, there has been some form of physical impairment. This is quite an impressive responsibility for the mind to coordinate on its own and without your direct involvement. The mind is also capable of learning, as evidenced by its ability to complete new tasks and acquire new knowledge and skills.

What also makes the mind powerful is its ability to receive and transmit thoughts. We are always thinking, even during a meditative state when some form of thought still exists. Those thoughts can consist of anything from evaluating the details of a current project, interacting with our surroundings, to thinking of anything random that comes to mind. The mind is receiving and processing information from all the senses, determining what is important and needs more attention, while discarding any information deemed irrelevant. What generally determines relevance is a matter of context and how useful or necessary the information may be. If the information is useful, it is stored in working and long-term memory for current and future use. What all this means is that the mind is always working, with thoughts always present.

Commitment 2021: full steam ahead

When you understand that the mind is powerful and is always producing thoughts, you become aware of the possibility of thinking about the past. This is especially true at a time of year when we all remember what happened in 2020, and we are asked to regard it as a point of reflection and learning. To make sure you stay focused on the future and think productively, the following strategies can help you. You may find one or all of them helpful, whenever you find yourself caught in a cycle of repeated thoughts from the painful past, or need to address any type of unpleasant thought.

Strategy one: create lessons learned

One of the most likely thoughts you will find yourself thinking about this time of year, and you will probably be asked to think, is something related to the past. While there are many happy memories that can be found in the past, there are memories that can interrupt your thought process and remind you of mistakes made, regrets, and other negative events. When you are feeling uncomfortable due to thoughts about something that you feel you have made the wrong decision, have been disappointed, or any kind of “should have done it” scenario, this is the time to change your thinking.

You do this by deciding not to fight the thought, but to create a lesson learned from it. This will help you spend less time thinking about specific incidents, especially when those negative thoughts want to repeat themselves in an endless cycle. Take the thought of the past and face it head-on. What can you learn from him? Be honest about it so you can address it and figure it out. By solving it, I don’t mean to say that you will necessarily find answers; however, it will prevent the thoughts from retaining power, as you will now have something productive associated with each one.

Strategy two: turn thoughts into goals

When you realize that you are thinking about something unproductive, that is interrupting your day, making a change depends on what your frame of reference is and what you want to achieve. Some of the most unproductive thoughts that can disrupt your day and your state of mind are those that involve thoughts of failure, or anything you feel you were unsuccessful at and did not accomplish what you hoped to do. Those particular thoughts, if left unchecked, can create feelings of frustration, disappointment, resentment, and more. It can create a cycle of negativity that disrupts your life.

Every time you find yourself thinking about something of this nature, you can do more than spin this thought, you can turn it into a goal. For example, if you think you were unsuccessful in some aspect of your career, limit it to a specific statement about what you can improve for future success. Then you can develop a goal with measurable objectives and an action plan for its fulfillment. Perhaps you need to learn a new skill, acquire new knowledge, make a new plan, develop new strategies, or any other related possibility. The point is to turn thoughts that can weigh heavily on your mind into a productive exercise, with the purpose of transforming your way of thinking.

Strategy three: find hope in a place of fear

There is a third type of negative thinking that can arise whenever you reflect on the past, face an unfamiliar situation or circumstance, or feel out of control. This is fear-based thinking, which can also have a physiological effect on you, depending on the circumstances of the event involved.

What I would like to address is a terrifying thought that arises as a result of self-reflection or thinking about the past. A feeling of fear, and even panic or anxiety, can arise when thinking about past events. This is especially true now for those who are struggling with circumstances and only think about decisions made in the past. No matter how many times someone tells you not to be afraid, fear can always remain in your mind.

So how do you find hope when everything you are thinking about gives you feelings of fear? You can’t go from fear to hope like turning a light switch on and off. It must be a conscious effort, a decision to gradually release fear. To do this, you must have a belief system in place to support a change. Try the following steps.

First ask yourself: What is the basis of my fear?

This will allow you to peek behind the curtain, so to speak. You will remove the mystery of fear-based emotion.

Once you’ve addressed what fear is, you may ask yourself: Is this fear based on reality?

You may be afraid that you will not be able to pay your rent this month and this is all you can think of. You have decided that this is based on reality.

The next step is to ask yourself: How can I go from feeling scared to feeling productive?

One of the most effective methods of stopping the cycle of negativity, regarding feelings of fear, is to discover its cause and then turn it into something productive. What is fear based on and what can you do to become productive? What you are actually doing is giving yourself a renewed sense of hope as you find a way to resolve the reason for the fear itself. Out of fear, hope can shine.

Make happiness a priority

I want this new year to be a year of renewal for our country and, more importantly, I want the beginning of the new year to represent hope. The best way forward now is to think about the possibilities that lie ahead. If you reflect on the past, focus on the memories of friends and family that brought you happiness and love. This helps establish a positive frame of mind. If you find yourself feeling negative thoughts, consider the suggested strategies and remember, the mind has a transformative force that can be used to help make significant changes in your life.

While you wait for changes in society and medicine, you can already begin to change your attitude and disposition. You already have a source of well-being and endurance within you, and it is managed by the most powerful form of energy available to you, your mind. It is time to control, toggle and eliminate 2020. Commit to moving towards 2021, starting with the power of your mind, and make the beginning of this year the best you can, as you can. When you make happiness a priority and direct your mind to maintain it, you will surely be ready for the new year.