Closing the Chapter on 2022
What is one thing most people rarely if ever do? Cause completion in their lives.
Unless you’re familiar with the work of author and lecturer Werner Erhard, the concept itself may seem elusive. But the idea is this – we go through our whole lives with baggage thinking we’re obligated to carry with us every tragedy, trauma, and tribulation we’ve experienced.
This guide is about closing the chapter on 2022, but the reality is, most of us have baggage from the distant past we’ve never completed. Why? Because we don’t get into conversation about our incompletes, and because we don’t declare incompletes complete.
But closing the chapter on 2022 is as good a place to start as any. Don’t drag last year into this year. Let this year be a fresh year, especially if you didn’t get along with 2022.
Here is a regimen I’ve adopted for myself and have kept to since 2014 – answering seven simple questions for the sake of completion.
7 Questions to Close the Chapter on Another Year
The following questions were masterfully crafted by leadership trainer Michael Hyatt. My intention wasn’t ever to co-opt them, but I feel like I may have. I think they are great questions, which is why I’ve stuck with them.
Don’t just watch from the sidelines, though. Get on the court of life. Read my answers, and after you’ve had some time to reflect, answer them for yourself too. You’ll be better off for it.
If the last year were a movie in your life, what would the genre be?
Action crime comedy in the vein of 21 Jump Street, or really any movie of its kind where a lot of things go wrong and obstacle after obstacle shows up to frustrate the protagonist.
In June, I embraced the nomadic life once again, not expecting it to last until present day. Things were going relatively smoothly until about mid-September when I began promoting Elite Players: Newsletter. Here’s the obstacle course I found myself navigating:
- A prospective girlfriend called me up to let me know she was dating someone else
- I met a lovely woman and started looking for a home in South Surrey
- A prospective landlord on Facebook was jealous of my self-employed status and wouldn’t go through the application process with me
- I nearly got scammed by a prospective landlord – if I hadn’t backed out of the agreement at the last minute, I would have lost a lot of money and probably most of my belongings
- I ended up having to get my bank card replaced thrice because of the fraudulent rental incident (suddenly, I couldn’t make online payments anymore)
- I nearly ended up with nowhere to stay one night
- While staying with a friend in Vancouver, I got sued by a credit card company
- I filed for consumer proposal
- My car battery died while I was staying in Murrayville, and I later ended up having to get it replaced before my journey to Calgary
- I hurt my lower back during the first days of rehearsal for The 3 Project
When all is said and done, though, it’s been smoother sailing since the completion of The 3 Project. I don’t know why that is.
Presently, I feel like I’m getting a fresh start, especially in business and finances, and I don’t intend to waste the opportunity.
What were the two or three major themes that kept recurring?
Honestly, life felt a little out of control this past year. I made progress in key areas, but I was doing it all while navigating the obstacle course just referenced. The podcast suffered as result.
Also, I’ve been balancing my life as a freelancer and entrepreneur for years, and most of 2022 was not a great year for progressing in the direction of my dreams. Every time I took a step forward, I felt like I was taking at least three steps back.
What did you accomplish this year that you are most proud of?
- My ongoing publishing efforts. I stopped blogging daily in May, only to return to the habit in September.
- Launching the PDF Vault.
- Launching The Most Incredible Back to School Bundle.
- Launching The Music Entrepreneur Companion Guide (even though it has become somewhat of a source of confusion for Amazon KDP bots).
- Launching Elite Players: Newsletter.
- Finishing the manuscript for The Renegade Musician.
- Being the associate producer, web developer, marketing strategist, and lighting and PowerPoint tech for The 3 Project.
What do you feel you should have been acknowledged for but weren’t?
- I haven’t received any acknowledgement for The Music Entrepreneur Companion Guide let alone any feedback.
- Streaming on BIGO LIVE.
- My stunning good looks. 🤣 Scratch that, I was totally acknowledged for it.
What disappointments did you experience this past year?
- My financial life. It started spiraling out of control with the scammers I referenced earlier, and it led me to the point of filing for consumer proposal. Honestly, I’m still dizzied just thinking about it. Fortunately, it’s giving me a fresh start.
- My business life. I invested heavily in myself, in my education, and in my growth. And while self-improvement helped me overcome many challenges, it didn’t necessarily help with having a breakthrough in my business life. I think it may have planted some seeds, though.
- My romantic life. Ultimately, not much came of the few chance meetings I had.
What was missing from last year as you look back?
Unlike last year, I got to travel, eat great food, go on an adventure, and perform a few times. There was even some movement in my romantic life. Not bad!
I have this strange feeling that whatever happened last year was supposed to happen, and I probably couldn’t have prevented any of it to begin with.
But it’s safe to say I’ve been missing a permanent residence since June, and I’ve had to improvise, problem solve, and make do with Airbnbs, hotels, and couch surfing.
What were the major life-lessons you learned this past year?
- Sadly, you can’t trust everyone. We’re in difficult times, and there are entitled scammers at every turn. If you’re not careful, you can be taken advantage of.
- Reading gets you into flow. It helps you generate relevant ideas, even when the subject matter isn’t connected in any way to the ideas you’re coming up with.
- I am sublime at what I do. I just need more visibility! 😉
- Giving is powerful. Some of the most successful people give. A lot. It creates flow in life.
Additional Resources
Do you want to get complete with 2022? Leave behind some baggage so you can have a fresh start in 2023?
You’ll enjoy Start Your Year the Right Way, an inspirational book with plenty of prompts to help you process everything that has and hasn’t happened in your life.
You can also hire me as your personal coach at a premium. If you’d like to see whether there’s a good fit, get in touch. I don’t respond immediately to most emails but do prioritize potential clients.
Past Reflections
I have been consistent in sharing my reflections since 2014. Self-indulgent, perhaps, but if you found this reading valuable, you will find these articles beneficial also:
Closing the Chapter on 2014
Closing the Chapter on 2015
Closing the Chapter on 2016
Closing the Chapter on 2017
Closing the Chapter on 2018
Closing the Chapter on 2019
Closing the Chapter on 2020
Closing the Chapter on 2021
Final Thoughts
If you want to get complete with events from the past, now is the time to do it. Don’t put it off. 2023 can and will be an incredible year if you do the work of closing the chapter on 2022.
Here’s wishing you the best in 2023 and beyond!
