Putting Myself First in 2022

2021 is drawing to a close soon and a new year will begin. We’ve been through so much, especially for almost the last couple of years. You’ve probably been asked at least once what your goals are for the new year. According to an article from Statista Research Department published in May 2021, about 50% of Americans said that they wanted to lose weight or exercise. I never use the term resolutions, because in most instances, many people tend to break them in a short amount of time. Instead, I say New Year’s goals.

There have been a few changes I’ve made in 2020 and this year: the first being cutting my sister out of my life, because she was staunchly defending our abusive parents’ behavior and also a few people who I thought were my friends. Just because someone’s related to you, it doesn’t mean that they truly love or care about you. Plus, I’ve come to a realization that friends will always come and go. You can’t consider me a friend and not check to see how I’m doing. I genuinely check on people, because that’s who I am. However, most would never do the same for me. I’m content with having a small group of friends and acquaintances. It’s less stressful for my mental state of mind.

Since childhood, people have occasionally said this about me to others: “Mark is so quiet.” I used to dislike people who have said that to me, like being quiet is a bad thing. I’ve always been like this, because I don’t like to open up to many people about certain things. I keep to myself also have trust issues. Don’t get me wrong, I love talking to people and love people in general. It’s just that I’ve gone through a lot of trauma, dating back to my childhood: mostly being physically and verbally abused by my now estranged parents. The aforementioned changes I’ve mentioned just now motivated me to put myself first. I’ve read that it improves your happiness. Being happy has and still is my major goal in life. There has been a stigma or assumption that putting yourself is selfish. That’s not the case and further from the truth. Rather, it’s to protect yourself from negative vibes and having a healthy life.

As I’ve stated before, I was verbally and physically abused by my parents as a young boy and it continued into my first few years of adulthood. There were many things I wanted to do as a kid that I was unable to attempt. Sure, I can’t make up for everything I’ve missed, but at least I can discover and do things I’ve always been curious to try, such as doing yoga, learning a new language, and photography. Sometimes, we need to take a break and focus on ourselves. Treating yourself with something rewarding is also important. Finally, don’t forget to rest and recharge. Your body and mind will thank you.

In closing, this is my last story on Vocal for 2021. I’ve been writing for them for about the last three years and grateful for the tips I’ve received from them. One thing I forgot to mention is that I want to commit to writing more stories on Vocal at least twice a month. I love writing about topics that most people won’t discuss. My stories will make others think and learn what they have read. A new year is almost upon us, so make the most of meeting your goals, whether they’re professional or personal.

Please continue to support me with your generous one-off tips and also something new: pledges on Vocal. Your pledges will support my stories. Feel free to follow me on social media. Subscribe to my page and I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous New Year. I’ll be back writing stories in 2022.