A Note on Anniversaries

Comments (1)

Oh my, how life gets in the way…

Recently, I celebrated two anniversaries – the marking of one year since the start of the relationship with my boyfriend and with my new job.

Anniversaries of this caliber are cause for celebration, a moment to reflect on the past year: successes, failures, mistakes, and the ilk.

I spent my work anniversary in a less than ideal situation: I made a relatively minor error, but it was not taken well by my boss. My other boss and co-workers and I went out to lunch (where I indulged in extra guacamole as a consolation prize), and that is when I started to look to the future.

It is absolutely important to never lose sight of the past. We must learn from our mistakes and grow from them. Particularly in my job, I have to stay on top of details, as a good memory is vital. But nostalgia can be dangerous. It can hold us back into a pattern of complacency.

Anniversaries give us a chance to embrace the future: they give a warm look at the new opportunities to come, a chance to plan, to set goals, and to better ourselves.

My work anniversary pushed me to not wallow in my past mistakes, the recent stress, and the current aspects of my job. It impelled me to think broadly and creatively about what I could do with my time, to possibly expand my role, use my time more wisely, and how to deal with my stress more effectively.

My advice is to count as many anniversaries as possible. Six months since you bought your shoes? Sure. Three years since you met your best friend? Absolutely. But keep your revelry constructive. Nostalgia can only bring you so far.

---