THE LEGEND OF JANUS: LOOKING BEHIND

In ancient Rome, the god Janus was worshipped as the god of gates, transitions, time, passages, past and future, beginnings and endings. He had two faces, one looking back and one looking forward. 

One thing that seems to characterize every new year is the preparation to look forward. New year resolutions are made, promises are made, hopes and dreams are made and plans are made to reach certain goals. What many people miss however is the tiny little detail with great implication which is looking behind.

This post is about the lessons I learnt from 2021. While 2020 was a turbulent year for many, 2021 might have been even more terrible for most. 2020 focused on loss but 2021 became the aftermath with normalcy beginning to return and reality hitting a lot of people. 2021 taught many lessons and these lessons can be used in the new year for a much better year.

LESSONS I LEARNT FROM 2021

1.      Financial freedom is key: Money makes money makes more money. Strive to achieve financial freedom. Educate yourself on how to create wealth and grow financially. 2021 has taught me that financial freedom is not just having money coming in steadily but building your finances to where you can afford to take a break and you will still be fine financially. Read books, attend online lectures, study the secrets of others and invest in building your value and finance.

2.      Know when to let go: Knowing when to let go applies to friendships and relationships. Any toxic friend or partner should be dropped immediately for your mental health and personal growth. If all efforts to repair and maintain a relationship have failed, let go.

3.      Do not be afraid to try: An opportunity that looks much greater than your capacity might present itself. In this case, do not avoid it but take on the challenge and even if you fail at least you tried and you can learn from this.

4.      Depression is real and does not always look like what depression: It is important to understand the signs of depression, ask yourself questions and ensure that you are truthful to yourself.

5.      Do not box yourself, let go and dream big.

6.      Never follow the crowd: Envision, visualize, access the risk, plan and accomplish.

7.      Permanence is dependent on certain factors: Always be prepared for change. 2021 was the year a lot changed for many people. With the world being hit by the COVID-19 virus, change occurred suddenly and in the wake of this many fell to depression because they were unprepared or could not accept the new lifestyle they needed to adapt to. Be welcoming of change and always prepare for change.

8.      Be ready to walk alone: A dream can be chased only by the person that has the dream. When others do not understand or support your dreams, trudge on alone. Do not give up because others have given up.

9.      Avoid crime: With the advent of camera’s and the internet, every little detail can be captured, stored and retrieved. Watch your actions so as not to do what will be your downfall tomorrow.

10.  Stay low key: Practice keeping quiet and making loud moves. Never blow the news of your accomplishments on rooftops. This can lead to hatred and discouragements. The more people know about your plans the more they will try to discourage you.

11.  Never give up: No matter how difficult it seems, never let any situation make you discouraged. Always find a way out of a situation instead of being drawn back by it. There is always a silver lining in every cloud.

12.  Have a Plan: Never leave the house without a plan. Have goals for the year, have goals for every month and when you wake every day, make goals you must accomplish daily. To fail to plan is to plan to fail. These little daily plans will lead to the accomplishment of the monthly plans and in turn lead to accomplishment of the goal for the year.

These lessons were what I have been able to deduce on looking back at 2021. What did you learn in 2021 and how can these lessons be applied in 2022?