The Year of Truth
Apr 5th, 2008 by spaceagesage
My husband calls 2008 The Year of Truth. Each December for several years now, he has intuitively summed up the upcoming year this way. Last year was The Year of Firsts, and it certainly contained many events which were firsts for us. The Year of Truth has already impacted us greatly because some major personal issues surfaced enough for us to face them and release them.
Perhaps you know these kinds of issues that hold us back from growing, the ones that say subconsciously or consciously, “I’m not ready to make drastic changes in the short-term to improve my life,” or “I’m not ready to face that old memory,” or “I deserve to feel entitled or to act this way because the world owes me.”
Another impact The Year of Truth is having on my husband and me is a greater clarity. Life, relationships, and our marriage have become more understandable in a way that makes them richer and more whole. As we drop the ego, the doubts, and the “driveness” of modern life, we are finding a lot of peace of mind from which we can see the greater interconnectedness of things. It is like the fuzziness or the static is gone, and a truer image and tone reveal The Nature of Things.
For example, some of my life has been lived in opposition to stuff instead of for stuff. I don’t always clean my house perfectly in response to my family’s placing way too much emphasis on it, to the point of practically killing themselves to make a house or property look Leave It to Beaver perfect. But now, I am starting to see the relaxed simplicity of a clutter-free house. I used to feel obligated to play the devil’s advocate in a conversation in response to my older brothers putting down my speaking skills as a child, but now I don’t need to do that anymore either.
I have found the power to act and change internal landscapes can come in baby steps or in wholesale landslides after I hit bottom on an issue. I prefer the baby steps. As I face the changes I want to make now, I am using a great site for motivation, zenhabits.net, where Leo Babauta writes on, among other things, “achieving goals, productivity, being organized, GTD, motivation, eliminating debt, saving, getting a flat stomach, eating healthy, simplifying, living frugal, parenting, happiness, and successfully implementing good habits.”
This year is still pretty young, so The Year of Truth looks to be one of the most interesting!
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered;
the point is to discover them.
Galileo
I like the way you commit each year to a different theme. It brings fresh perspectives to your life and relationship. I should start doing the same thing for my life.
To me, 2008 will be the year of letting go.
I’m glad that you found ZenHabits. It’s a great website.
Please keep up the insights with this blog. I like it a lot.
Warm regards,
Clay
leafless and Clay — thanks! Best wishes for enjoying 2008, and may it bring a wealth of wisdom and personal bettement!
Truth is liberating but it also can hurt like hell! While a successful relationship needs to be turthful, it can also benefit from hidden truths that deserve being hidden if they will not bring growth to the relationship.
Chris — Yes, for example comparing a spouse to someone else might include truthful statements, but it is not really wise. I find it is a mix of love, compassion, and knowing your partner well enough to back off from those things that would defeat growth. Trust me, our Year of Truth is coming in our 14th year of marriage, not our first!