Had a tough 2024? Here’s how to bounce back from a bad year

So how was your 2024? Are you ready for more 2024 in 2025 or are you eager to get 2024 out the door? Well, if 2024 has really left you hurting or even flat on the ground, then you might want to explore how you can best bounce back from last year so that you can not only survive but thrive in 2025. Here are 10 steps you can take to bounce back from a bad year:

1. Process what went wrong.

Don’t make this an out of sight, out of mind thing. Suppressing or suppressing what happened last year can be like trying to hide a ferret in your pants. You’ll never know what will grab it in the end and where it will pop out when you least expect it. Instead, state clearly what went wrong and why, and discuss it with people you trust.

When you’re making your list and checking it twice, don’t simply make it a everyone-is-really-naughty-while-you-had-so-fun-making-it list without taking into account keep track of how you contributed to each list. situation. Failing to recognize your role in at least allowing others to treat you like a peep can simply lead to more such peeps happening in the future.

2. Forgive yourself and others.

Of course, recognizing how you’ve contributed to bad situations doesn’t mean you have to constantly look in the mirror and say, “Who stinks?” You do that, you do that.” You’re a human being and not a piece of avocado toast, which means you’re not perfect. As long as you make amends where possible and continue to improve so that you don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over again, you can forgive yourself.

The same goes for others who may have wronged you. Why not forgive them, instead of using Simon Peter Gruber or Talia Al Ghul on them? When people screw you up, it’s often more about their shortcomings than yours. For example, if a friend wasn’t there for you when you needed him or her, that friend may not have had the strength or foresight to help, as I described for Forbes in June 2024. Staying angry and holding grudges can be like strapping a 40-pound fruitcake around your neck – a burden that can be crazy and difficult to bear and digest.

Of course, forgiveness does not mean forgetting. Once you realize you can’t trust someone, don’t put yourself in a position where you have to trust that person again. After all, if you get kicked in the groin, you don’t have to say, “Hey, try that kick again.” Maybe this time it will be better.” It may make sense to challenge such relationships.

3. Write down what went well and congratulate yourself.

Okay, last year couldn’t have all gone bad, right? Even if you’re in the middle of a downpour, you can save on skin moisturizer at least for the time being. Think back to the highlights of the year – no matter how small – and celebrate them. For example, maybe going through a rough year has helped confirm who your real friends are, how resourceful you are, or how many “This Year Sucks” memes you can find. At the very least you can say you survived the year.

4. Learn and grow from the year.

Do you know the abbreviation AFOG? It stands for ‘another opportunity for growth’. And no, the “f” here does not stand for fandango or flatulent. While AFOG may sound like “a fog,” a difficult year should bring clarity to a lot of things, allowing you to learn more about yourself and others and become a better person as a result. So don’t waste such growth opportunities. On the list of things that went wrong last year, list what you learned from each and what you will do differently in the future.

5. Establish new or firmer boundaries

Don’t let your life be like a children’s coloring book where your boundaries are not respected. Bad things can happen when you allow the wrong people to do the wrong things to you. So make sure you let people around you know what they can and cannot do to you. If someone still doesn’t respect your boundaries, remember the joke that goes, “Why did the narcissist cross the road?” Because he or she thought it was a boundary.” Consider telling that person to get going.

Also set boundaries for yourself. For example, if the year included health issues, you may not have made enough time to get enough sleep, eat well, stay physically active (both aerobic exercise and strength training), and relax. Prioritize your well-being, which brings forward the next step.

6. Practice self-care and compassion.

Take the time to take care of yourself and be your own best friend and dream companion. Court yourself as you would any target of your affection. Heck, you can even hit yourself. Just don’t use cheesy pick-up lines in public and don’t play hard-to-get. Do what you always wanted to do.

If you have a habit of sacrificing for others, consider making yourself a bigger priority in the coming year. Of course, if you have narcissistic tendencies, you may want to do the opposite.

7. Make sure your support network and community are ready for 2025.

A bad year must have had a negative impact in more than one way, including some good ones. It could have blown the cover of those around you, revealing who is actually in your camp and who is not. If you confirmed last year that you indeed have a strong support network, congratulate yourself, thank that network and cherish it. If you find this network lacking in some way, strengthen and expand it.

That may mean finding new friends and colleagues. It can also include adding professional help, such as a therapist. Professionals may have skills, experience, and expertise that your friends don’t have. They can also be more objective.

Don’t be afraid to appear vulnerable and ask for help. It’s your party and you can cry if you want, as the song goes. Heck, crying can even help you physiologically, as I pointed out Forbes earlier. If others start to avoid or take advantage of you under such circumstances, cast them off like dirty underwear.

8. Make changes and course corrections.

Your life has no autocorrect. So you will have to put in extra effort to fix what needs to be fixed. If you treated others like doo doo while you were under stress, apologize and make amends. If the bad year has made it clear that you have taken the wrong course in life, then that is of course correct.

9. Set reasonable plans and goals for the coming year.

A bad year may have made you wary of positive expectations for the coming year. After all, there is that formula that happiness equals reality minus expectations. for which I have coverage Psychology todayright? But keeping expectations low doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have plans or goals for the year ahead.

I’ve written before about how to make good intentions that actually stick. This means setting goals that are more about the process than about the outcomes: things you can control versus things that depend on other people and other things that fall into place. For example, you could set a goal to marry Gal Gadot or Jason Mamoa, but for that to happen they would have to be interested in you and available. Instead, maybe replace that goal with a more easily achievable goal that could lead to what you want, like showering more than once a week, participating in more activities that allow you to meet someone special, or maybe replacing all those sweaters in your wardrobe.

10. Be patient and realize that life does not necessarily follow calendar years.

Speaking of expectations, dropping the New Year’s Eve ball didn’t necessarily mean that all the bad things in your life would immediately bounce away. It could be 2024 again for a while. What happened in 2024 could have a sequel this year, perhaps even long after Groundhog’s Day. But don’t assume this year will necessarily be a repeat. Be patient. Stay optimistic and hope that things will change for the better.

In fact, you never know. A seemingly bad 2024 could have been the kick in the ass you needed to turn your life around. Someone I know recently emphasized the importance of moving beyond post-traumatic stress and towards post-traumatic growth. In other words, once you recover from a bad year, it can help you bounce back stronger and more resilient. Sometimes the worst of times can turn out to be the best of times in the long run. You just have to give it some time.