The thing is, it’s tough sometimes. Last year was a wild one, and not always in the good sense. Everybody I know struggled. We struggled. And I don’t just mean with little stuff, though there was some of that. People were sick, some died, some lost or quit their jobs, families split up and hearts broke. And all of this in my immediate circle, in one year. It’s honestly not something we’re used to. Then I’m not even going there with the army of idols we lost too.

Tough.

It feels like we kind of stumbled out of 2016 and met this year tired, panting for air, just to be hurled at the next big thing. For me, the new year has already brought some random angst, seasonal depression, concern over things I can’t really change and gnawing at my fingernails because of people visiting too many hospitals waaaay too often.

It’s almost like when you bring your brand new baby home for the first time. In the hospital, the little one was amazing. Slept so well. Didn’t poop on you once. Wasn’t the fussy little one who kept the entire maternity ward up all night. Then, at home, all hell breaks loose – there’s crying and freaking out and little sleep, and not just from the baby.

2017 is the same. There was this little pause after the drama of last year, which turned out to be the breath between hiccups.

So, we try to be positive. At the moment, that’s difficult, so this post isn’t going to be all warm and fluffy – like everything will be OK if we just wait long enough.

Nothing will happen if we wait. Don’t think that a new digit on the calendar is a magical remedy for all of life’s weirdness. That everything will be better, because it’s a new start. For this same reason, so many resolutions fail. If the fat was a problem in March, start working on it in March. If a new skill needs learning on October, get on it in October. I believe that if something is important enough to you, you’ll make the time to do it.

How do we handle the negativity then?

I don’t know. There’s no right answer here. If there’s a tangible reason for what’s going wrong in life, we can take action. Like, if the depression isn’t manageable, see someone who can help, take the meds, whatever. Not all problems are possible to solve, though. Everyone can’t quit their job if they’re unhappy there, for example. And you can’t force someone else to take better care of their bodies, if their health is a reason for your concern.

‘Stop letting it bother you’ – this is a cheap piece of advice to give. If it were that simple, we’d all be hippies and there would be peace on earth. All of us are entitled to feel, regardless of how strange those feelings may be to anyone else.

So.

I read this status on Facebook this week somewhere that came down to this: we think we’re going through the worst thing ever now, but six months ago, we thought the same thing. And two years ago. And ten years ago. Every time, we soldiered through it.

For those of you, like me, finding 2017 a continuation of last year’s crap, there’s a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. We’ll keep going, no matter what gets hurled at us. After all, we’re made of sterner stuff than we realise. Sometimes, it’s going to be hellishly difficult, while other times may be easier.

Regardless, we’ll soldier through it.

This old post has been on my mind. Right now, my glass has forgotten what full feels like, but I still believe every word I wrote there. The glass can be refilled. No matter how empty, how chipped or cracked or dusty – if it’s a glass, it can be refilled.

I wish the same thing for you too. When it gets tough, I hope you learn how tough you are. I hope you find a source to refill your glass. I hope you soldier through.

Yolandie