Hello friends! Today I’m talking about my quest for peace and contentment in 2022. Is that something you’re searching for too?
In many ways I feel like I’ve had a hard life, but I know with so much poverty and natural disasters and civil unrest in the world that there are so many others who have struggled their entire lives in ways I can barely imagine.
With the Covid-19 pandemic and still no light at the end of the tunnel, I’m feeling trapped in my life. And I suspect many others do too. I want to live in the moment and experience more things. There are places I need to see and things to discover that I want to do while I’m still mobile and healthy. But I’m trapped. Travel is discouraged, and I sure don’t want to board a plane or a cruise ship anytime soon.
Even without Covid, there have been a lot of disasters this last year and many traumatic life-changing events.
So, how are we going to live our best life in 2022? What worries and troubles and things that just aren’t good for us are we going to let go of in 2022? Let’s find a path to peace and contentment for 2022.
Here are seven things you should consider letting go of in 2022 to help you live a more peaceful life.
1. Let go of money problems
It doesn’t matter how much or how little you have, it seems everyone worries about money. How to make more money. Figuring out how to pay off debt. Worrying about having enough money for retirement.
You might find some of these posts helpful:
How to Save Money and Bust Debt
The Road for New Year’s Financial Resolutions Challenges on Low Income
Let 2022 become the year where you let go of some of your money worries. You can do this by creating a financial plan for yourself and working toward your financial goals.
Here’s what my Covid-19 adjusted financial plan looks like:
- Incur no debt
- Don’t look at the current value of my investments
- Don’t sell any stocks
- No unnecessary spending
- Build up my emergency fund
- Try to save a little for next year’s TFSA
A financial plan doesn’t need to be complicated. It doesn’t even need to have a set dollar amount on your goals. Get started by writing down a few things you want to accomplish financially whether it’s paying off debt or increasing your emergency fund. Once you’ve written your goals down, create a plan on how you will achieve this, even if it’s putting $5 a week into a savings account. You can brainstorm ways of achieving your financial goals, or at least whittle them down.
2. Let go of bad relationships
If anyone is in any type of relationship where you’re being physically abused, I hope you find the courage to get out and get yourself safe.
That’s a bad relationship!
But there are other types of relationships that are bad for you and you need to escape. If you’re in a relationship where you’re being abused emotionally or financially, it’s time to let go and get going.
Nobody needs that kind of toxicity in their lives. If you’re sticking around a relationship because you can’t pay the bills on your own, and if you can afford to do so, find a shared home living arrangement. There are programs and shelters that can help you take that first step.
Salvation Army. United Way. Union Gospel Mission (Vancouver). They all have programs to help people get back on their feet.
Ladies! We don’t want to be in a toxic relationship. This is why we have to figure out our finances and take care of ourselves if there is no other financial support. We rely on self-help because we can’t count on anyone else to help us!
If someone you’re related to is harming you physically, financially, or emotionally you don’t need to keep that evil in your life. Don’t believe the bullshit about how “family is everything” if that’s what’s causing pain in your life. Get yourself safe and keep yourself healthy!
If your job is the bad relationship – quit! Make 2022 the year to get rid of all bad relationships.
You can control the types of relationships you have in your life! Keep your relationships healthy and supportive. Let go of any that don’t do you any good.
3. Let go of clutter
Clutter comes in so many forms, but it’s time to get rid of clutter in your life so you don’t have to worry about it anymore.
Here are the types of clutter I deal with or have dealt with:
- Household stuff (clothes, collections, furniture, etc)
- Paperwork
- Emails
Clutter takes up physical and emotional space. If you’re like me and planning to retire in another country, either most of the stuff needs to go, pay a fee to hold on to it in a storage locker, or ship it to the new location.
Here’s the thing about your stuff that might be antiques, vintage, or you spent a lot of money accumulating. No one wants to buy your old stuff no matter how much you value it. “Customers” want you to give it away. And even then, sometimes you can’t get rid of it for free.
Make 2022 the year you get rid of all the stuff you don’t need anymore.
4. Let go of bad eating habits
Many New Year resolutions have to do with weight loss like dieting and exercising. The person starts out strong, and by the end of the month unhealthy habits have crept back in.
I’m not the only one out there who knows from personal experience that nothing in life is easy.
Becoming debt free is hard. Staying debt free is even harder.
Losing weight is hard. Maintaining that weight loss is just as hard.
I was motivated by fear to lose weight and keep it off – I didn’t want to cross over into diabetes territory. I cut out or cut back on bread, potatoes, pasta, and sweet treats. It doesn’t get easier struggling daily with portion control and making healthy eating choices two or three years later. But it’s probably no different than struggles other people have with addictions. One day at a time.
I have sweet tooth cravings every hour!
Except when I’m sleeping. And even then sometimes I wake up hungry craving a donut or chocolate cake.
Prices of groceries keep going up making it expensive to afford healthy food choices. Likewise, prices have increased at fast food restaurants and junk food too. The food you eat affects the way you feel. Make 2022 the year to let go of unhealthy foods clogging your body. Here are a couple of articles to help you make healthier food choices:
Balancing Healthy Eating When Money is Tight
Eat Cheap and Healthy on a Budget
Low Cost Homemade Meals and Baking
5. Let go of your phone
I’ve never been a phone person. Even in the olden days before cell phones came on the scene. I never liked making phone calls. Good thing I never worked as a telemarketer!
I suppose I’ve never got over my thought process that the cell phone is just for emergencies. Even though I haven’t had a landline since 2015 (savings of over $200 a year by ditching it!), I don’t use my cell phone more than I need to. No chatty Cathy here!
I’m not much of a texter and I prefer to use my laptop when surfing the Internet than using my less than agile thumbs to type out a web page on my iPhone.
A few years ago I walked past a Subway restaurant and several of the tables were occupied by couples. Every single one of them was looking down at their phone instead of having a conversation with the person sitting across from them.
You don’t want to be that person. Put the phone down and go for a walk, read a book, have a real conversation with someone, or bake cookies.
6. Let go of social media
Do you spend too much time scrolling through your social media accounts, interacting with others, or following battles?
Social media makes too many people unsocial!
I have a Facebook account and I’m rarely on it. If I’m looking to buy something I might log on and search. I used to say if I was on Facebook 5 minutes a month, that would be a lot for me. Over the past year I’ve been buying and selling, so I might be up to 15 minutes a month on Facebook, though that’s probably going to drop down again.
If any social media accounts make you sad or bring you down, just stop visiting them. You can be like me and have a barely used Facebook account. Make the effort to do another activity instead of logging on to social media.
I would say if you spend more than 30 minutes a day on any social media account, that’s the one you want to start weaning yourself off.
And just like we discussed about about letting go of unhealthy relationships, unfriend anyone on your social media accounts who doesn’t bring joy and good thoughts into your life.
7. Let go of a busy mind
Who else is always thinking? Always worrying? Always got something on their mind?
Multiple things on the mind at once. Multi-tasker!
I have plenty of ideas racing around in my head. Plenty of things to worry about. Lots of things to plan. Racing thoughts. My busy mind doesn’t always shut down. It’s especially difficult at night when I’m trying to fall asleep.
Just about all the points above keep my mind busy, making it difficult to sleep.
I’ve tried breathing exercises, counting backwards, and starting from my toes up, telling each part of my body to go to sleep.
I talked about this in my post Do you have Trouble Falling Asleep and Staying Asleep?
Too many times I don’t get the rest I need. This is a big one for me, leaving me exhausted in the morning instead of rested. Clearing the clutter from my brain so I can sleep is a lifelong battle.
If this is a problem for you too, check out this slideshow from WebMd on how to clear your mind to help fall asleep.
Peace and contentment for 2022
And there we have it! Some ways to chase down peace and contentment for 2022. What ideas do you have for bringing more peace and joy into your life?
I always like to go to the water and walk. Whether it’s the ocean, a lake, a river, or a creek, there is something soothing about the water. Just make sure it’s a safe place to walk!
I’m lucky to have a horsey hideaway. Spending time with my horse helps quiet my mind and makes me happy.
Do you have a happy place?
That happy place is where you want to spend more time achieving peace and contentment in 2022.
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on March 1, 2022.
