By Brianna Fasoli*
Let us be honest, many of us are not particularly heartbroken to say goodbye to 2020, a year in which a sinister virus reigned supreme. As such, the world anxiously anticipated the arrival of the new year, all of us battered and bruised, yet hopeful. Many acted as if the moment the clock struck midnight and the year on our calendars changed, our problems would lessen. We hoped that the skies, bathed in darkness for so long, would suddenly open. That of course was not and still is not the case; however, that doesn’t mean we should write off 2021 just yet.
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While 2021 isn’t all we hoped it to be so far, it still has the potential to be a far greater year than its predecessor. Just think as you read this, someone, somewhere in the world is receiving a vaccine so they may be protected from the invisible enemy. Maybe this summer or sometime even sooner you will be that someone. And with every person protected, we become closer to our goal of regaining the normal lives we so long to live. I do realize however that depending on how you view it, summer can seem to be miles away. So much can happen in six months. But we cannot make this year all that we dreamed it would be by being negative. We must look at the silver linings of the dark clouds overhead to make it through the storm.
I know what I am asking must seem like an impossible task; to see good beneath the doom and gloom, but positivity starts inside of us and can be much more than merely an outlook. Being positive can also mean doing positive things to improve your life, although a bright outlook helps. Committing to a New Year’s Resolution is a great example of doing just that. Big or small if we follow through on our promises to ourselves, they can make a difference in our lives. For instance, if your resolution is to eat better or to exercise, you will be healthier and thus happier. Or if your resolution is to finally read that novel on your reading list, you will be able to travel the world without having to worry about contaminated airplanes or post travel quarantines.
One of my resolutions is not to procrastinate and by doing that I will significantly reduce my stress level. If there ever was a year to follow through on our resolutions and better ourselves, this would surely be it. Even during a regular year succeeding in carrying out your resolutions and having a positive outlook can do wonders for our mental and physical health.
In light of that, my challenge for you is to follow through on at least one of your resolutions. Whatever you choose to be your resolution, whether it be improving your art skills, getting better grades, quitting smoking or managing your time better, try to follow through. I want you to succeed because we can’t just expect the new year to be better, we have to do our part to ensure it is better than the last (although considering last year, the bar is pretty low).
Happy New Year to all and stay positive!
*Brianna Fasoli is a Secondary 4 student at Rosemere High School and part of our Young Journalists program at North Shore News.
