How to be an all-new “You” this New Year

Bracing for the New Year. Props and mask courtesy of Kevin Bautista.

Suddenly, it’s Monday morning and the world changed.

It’s a new year after all. We have overcome and faced our worst fears and now see what we are at the end of it. We have endured losses and experienced triumphs. Congratulations, my dear reader, for being a survivor.

I would like to share to you some of the lessons I’ve learned in the past year. Just like anyone else, I am a work in progress. But man, how I have come a long way in making myself a better person.

A godsend to me, a new friend at the right time.

I get teary-eyed writing this.

I would've died if I did not renew my passion in comics. I came from a world where there's no room for mistakes. I screwed up and friends gradually disappeared.

So after four years of being lost, I've found myself, fixed and not alone. And I'm really grateful to God for that.

Gift of friendship? Gift of presence? We used to joke about these when people asked us what gifts we'd get for them. But just being there for your friends matters more than any material gift.

Friendship is give-and-take. You may have to weigh if a person is really your friend because you are doing good in life at the moment or you have something that he needs.

The best conflict is the one avoided.

I no longer give a fucking shit to what nasty people say. The best conflict is the one avoided by not giving a damn.

There are people you can reconcile with. Ideally, try to make amends with them as much as possible. But all things considered, there are people best subtracted from your life because they keep pulling you down. They distract you from your most urgent and important concerns.

If you have addressed everything to the other party and yet they keep saying things behind your back, wear your headset and play music to block the noise.

Fighting with these people is pointless. Choose the higher ground.

Don’t let a family tragedy consume you.

Here’s a dialogue between The Flash/Barry Allen and his father, Henry, wrongly accused of murder:

Henry: Look at me. I know what you've given up. Every decision you've made in the past 14 years has been because of me and your mom--what you studied, why you became a CSI, even with Iris.

Barry: Iris?

Henry: You're my son. You don't think I know how you love her? But you never pursued her because you were too consumed with what happened to me and your mom to let yourself have a life. Well, let it go now, Barry. Hear me now. The man in the yellow suit... has taken enough from us already. Don't let him take any more.

("The Man in the Yellow Suit," The Flash, Season 1 mid-season finale)

Yes, we all have duties to our families. But we also have our own lives to take care of. Let us not deprive of ourselves of the happiness we deserve.

Vote with your wallet.

I am proud to say that I barely touched my Christmas bonus. Taking control of your finances is not only empowering but also wise because you would not know when extra cash would come in handy.

So there you go. I hope these lessons would likewise help you shape your 2015. Remember to always inject fun in your lives and surround yourselves with people who make you a better person.

Happy New Year, everyone!

~ Jerald