Turning the calendar over to a new year is often a time of reflection, not only to look backward but also to look ahead. What can happen to make the future bigger and brighter? 

The past year has been overflowing with lessons for my life. It’s been a year of change and challenges, struggles and success. Simply put, I’ve learned a lot – about myself and the world. 

I like to play with words and decided it might be fun to put together an ABC guide encompassing some of the eurekas I’ve experienced that might help create a bigger and better 2022 for us all.

Some of the things 2021 taught me:

Allow yourself grace when you make a mistake. Allow others the same grace when they mess up. Appreciate everything else.

Breathe. When the day is long and the road seems steep, take a break and just breathe – in and then out. If you have to take it one breath at a time, you are still breathing, and that’s something.

Compassion builds bridges while indifference tears them down. Build bridges.

Don’t take things for granted. It puts you on autopilot. Do pay attention. It puts you in line to see the beauty that surrounds and encompasses you. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Comparisons minimize your uniqueness. Do be authentically and unapologetically you.

Endings often have to happen for beginnings to occur.

Fulfillment comes from within. The world we live in is a beautiful and abundant place. We may be fortunate enough to have loving friends and family in abundance, but we can’t be truly fulfilled by the things around us, not even people. That particular abundance must come from a place deep inside. 

Gratitude can serve as the instigator to a joyful outlook. Growth can germinate from the most dire of circumstances. Give more than you receive. 

Hit it out of the park. If you’re satisfied with a base hit, you’ll never achieve a home run. 

If a door closes, a window may not open. A whole world might open. Don’t limit your possibilities 

Joy is one of the best three letter words ever invented. Practice joy. Allow joy, even if you can only fathom it in the smallest of increments.

Kindness can change the world. We need more kindness because we need to change the world.

Life can be hard, but it can also be joyous. It’s also meant to be fun. Sometimes it’s all three.

Miracles are often in the eye of the beholder. Be a beholder.

Now is the most important time ever. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not yet here. Be present in the moment; pay attention to the now. 

Open your heart and open your mind. None of us knows the answers to all the questions. Live life with an open outlook, especially and most importantly toward those whose outlook differs from yours. 

Perspective can literally change your world. You (and only you) get to choose your perspective. 

Quit taking life so seriously. This is supposed to be fun. Practice fun.

Rest when you need to. Radiate joy and love outward whenever you can.

See things as they really are and trust in your gut. The sun shines brightly every day, even when clouds attempt to block our view.

Trust is incompatible with worry and fear. Trust in yourself. Trust in the universe. Trust in life.

Unconditional love is one of the greatest gifts we can give one another and ourselves. Try to love unconditionally, without outcomes.

Value what you have over what you want. Value the relationships that ring true in your life, whether they have withstood the test of time or whether they are in their infancy. 

Worry less. What’s the worst thing that could happen? When I ask myself this question, I realize things probably aren’t so bad. 

“We” is always more important than “me”.

You are important. You are worthwhile. You matter. 

Because X and Z are challenging letters, I followed my advice under “A” and gave myself grace to skip over them. I also couldn’t whittle “W” down to just one, so included two, which seems appropriate since it is a double-U. I hope you find this list useful. If one of my observations meets your needs, I’ve met my goal.

All the best in 2022. Let’s make it the best year ever.

— Jill Pertler’s column Slices of Life appears regularly in the Times. She can be reached at slicescolumn@gmail.com.