Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 04:17

Looking back, looking ahead

DEBBIE JACOB THIS IS the time of year when we always pause to look back at another year ending while looking forward to what the new year will bring. I always hope that we can bottle the goodwill of Christmas and carry it into the new year. Why can’t each year be connected with hope and joy? If I had to single out one wish for 2026, it would be that everyone considers self-reflection. The trying times we live in require us to think more about our goals and actions. It’s time to consider how our attitude affects ourselves and others. What did we learn in the waning year that we can carry forward into the new year? My takeaway is that a positive attitude goes a long way to create change. Negativity gets us nowhere. It creates obstacles to personal achievement and productivity. The holiday season is a good time to apply self-reflection and selflessness. If you’re having second thoughts about the amount of money you spent on Christmas, let that be a lesson for next year. Don’t get me wrong, giving gifts is good as long as they are thoughtful, come from the heart, and do not mean sacrificing our emotional and financial well-being. But we need to be honest about how much we can afford to spend, and reflect on how much of our self-worth is tied to others' expectations of us, especially during this holiday season. Remember, it is the act of kindness that counts more than the tangible gift this time of year. There are many ways to give that cost nothing and keep the holiday spirit going. Give the gift of time to someone close to you, and someone you don’t even know. Spend more time reading to your children. Start a book club in a school or a classroom library in your child’s elementary school. Give a book to a school library. Too often, people think of uplifting things to do for others over the holidays and then abandon the cause after Christmas. Reflect on the memories you’d like to build for yourself and your family. Spend more time playing games with your children. This teaches children how to act in group activities. Putting puzzles together teaches patience, perseverance and builds memory skills. Holiday memories last forever. Self-reflection requires us to understand our capacity for empathy and kindness. Do we do everything in our power to respect viewpoints that differ from ours – especially political ones? It’s not difficult to express our opinions with people who agree with us, but the true measure of empathy is understanding someone who doesn’t share our views. Dig deeper and be more considerate of those who are different from us. We all share this space, and everyone should feel comfortable and happy in it. Think more about what inclusion means, especially to the disabled. Self-reflection means taking a good, hard look at our actions and measuring our communication skills. How well do we listen? Before we argue or yell at someone, stop and think about what is more important: expressing rage or affecting change? How can we create an atmosphere conducive to co-operation and create confidence in everyone around us? Do we take anger and frustration out on family members, co-workers, customers or strangers? How much do any of us understand that our actions can uplift someone or depress them, even while we’re driving? Where is all that road rage getting us? How hard is it to dig deeper and tell people how we feel rather than act out in mean-spirited, inappropriate ways? This year, we need to make sure to include another dimension to self-reflection, namely, taking a good, hard look at how we allow people to treat us. Don’t allow disrespect, verbal or physical abuse. We can prioritise our personal safety. It is our right to make our feelings and expectations known in a kind, assertive manner. Have the courage to let go of people who can’t respect you and your boundaries. Self-reflection begins with self-respect and helps us reach out and impact others’ lives in meaningful ways. Why can’t the holidays spark a year-long change? We think of Christmas as a magical time, but in many ways it’s all about the hard work we put into the holiday and the way we choose to celebrate it. What a shame to let that feeling slip away into Christmas past. The post Looking back, looking ahead appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.