‘The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.’ – Chinese proverb.

Life is challenging right now – and it’s not worth sugarcoating it! COVID-19 has come to stay and it’s sending our lives into a spiral of madness. It’s all work and home, and home and work, with little respite in between. And even if we do have free time, we’re hesitant on mingling with the general public.

Because nobody wants to start the new year in isolation.

But let’s get some perspective here. Despite what it feels like, COVID-19 isn’t the end of the world. In fact, many health specialists claim that 2022 is the year the coronavirus will become endemic. It won’t wither away and die like we hope; it will be just another flu variant.

And then we can finally get on with our lives!

We can do all the things we’ve dreamed of; what we’ve yearned to do for the past two years. Whether that be the holidays we’ve put on the back-burner, the health goals we’ve been too stressed to consider, the hobbies that feel pointless right now.

But why wait for a better time? Why not plant your tree today? Whatever 2021 new year’s resolutions you’ve made, don’t wait for the storm to pass to take the first step. 2022 is a new beginning!

The time is now! What consumes your mind controls your life. And right now, so many of us are stuck wondering about COVID-19. When will it hit us and disrupt our lives? We cannot escape the uncertainty – from the television to our news feeds – it is there, tapping away to the detriment of our conscious mind.

But, while you can wallow in the madness of it all, you also have the opportunity to change perspective. Instead of focusing on COVID-19 like a mad scientist, why not focus on your desires? Finding love, quitting smoking, feeling healthier, reading more, changing your career.

So, here is the one new year’s resolution that you should keep in 2022: chase your goals now. If you start today, you’ll see results one day earlier than if you start tomorrow. More than that, you’ll have something worthwhile keeping your mind busy rather than focusing on future uncertainties. In fact, that’s where happiness blossoms.

If you’re spending the entirety of every day fretting about the future, then that is what will control your life. It is what you will stress over. It is what will kill your vibe, dragging you down the never-ending spiral of negative thinking — all over something you cannot control!

On the other hand, if you’re focusing on the good things in life — your passions, your friends, and the fact you’ve secured this awesome break in your day to read this article — then it’s easier to feel happy.

Of course, a global pandemic isn’t making this an easy achievement. But, while you cannot control a pandemic, you do have the power to steer the rudder of your own life. And the first step is changing the channel in your mind and focusing on the good things in life. The things you are grateful for. The people who fuel your inner spirits. Your goals.

It’s all up to you.

Feature image: Photographed by Chris Ainsworth. Image via Unsplash.