We’re all familiar with Forrest Gump’s words in the 1994 movie “Life is like a box of chocolates.”
I have purged my cupboards from all tempting holiday treats. Some boxes of chocolate still had a few pieces remaining but out they went, temptation removed!
As I hang my new calendar for 2025, I look at twelve clean pages, void of scribbles plans or deadlines. I cautiously lift the lid off the new year, peering at the months, wondering what each one will hold?
I’m not a believer in New Year’s Resolutions. For many of us dealing with chronic pain and cognitive impairment, just getting out of bed some days is a triumph! I do however, desire change in some areas of my life and realize that won’t happen by wishing alone.
What’s the biggest obstacle to overcome? Personally, for me, it’s being stereotyped. There are folks that remind me how someone else tackled a similar problem and had success or used a specific approach that worked well for them. My irritation grows at suggestions that something I did previously should help me achieve success now. Making a choice based on my present passion, not protocol is how I work best.
I recently saw the movie A Complete Unknown based on the life of Bob Dylan. His early folk music reflected the turbulent social climate of the ‘60’s. These songs became the anthem of his followers and the banner under which they marched. When he began to experiment with other music genres his fans protested strongly. He had been stereotyped.
The well-known athlete Sarah Hughes addresses this in her personal journey with depression. She attempted to overcome her struggle by training harder. It didn’t work. She took the steps necessary to break the stereotype of the gold medal athlete and moved in a new direction. She is now an advocate for mental health, a well-known author and speaker.
My favourite scene in Forrest Gump is when he decides he’s going to go for a run and he does – 15,248 miles during his five-time trip across the U.S.A. Towards the end of his running phase, his followers are all enthused and ready for more marathons. One day in the Monument Valley in Arizona, he unceremoniously announces “I’m pretty tired…think I’ll go home now.”
I love that! He’s no longer a runner and is free to do anything else he decides. Neither are we who have suffered setbacks restricted to limits and stereotypes others have imposed on us.
I hope you are inspired to take the lid off of 2025 and choose something new. It can be overwhelming to bite into something different and unknown. If it’s not the flavour you hoped for, oh well, toss it out and try again!
Happy New Year everyone!
