By Ashley Ferraro
Entering another new year during times riddled with uncertainty can bring up mixed emotions. On the one hand, a new year is a time to cultivate resolutions with the vision of a “better” you—whatever that means to you. Maybe it’s a more active version of yourself, someone who spends less time on social media, or a person who becomes their boss. At the same time, a new year allows more room for disappointment. Sometimes, it’s difficult to feel excitement when anxiety has moved in, and hope has moved out.
However, calling these years “uncertain times” begs the most important question—when were times ever certain? When could humans truly understand the future? Or, when was tomorrow ever promised? The truth is, no matter what state our world or community is in, we know no more about tomorrow than we did five, ten, twenty, or a hundred years ago. We were never sure what the following year would bring, and we likely never will be.
The thought of uncertainty has been pegged as a negative. These uncertain times have ignited fear, allowing it to ravage like wildfire through our media. However, uncertainty reminds us that our world is capable of anything, and so are we. History has repeatedly shown us that the impossible is possible, something to cherish rather than fear. Uncertainty brings opportunity and freedom; frankly, it’s what keeps life interesting.
The attention to uncertainty has only forced us to face reality and revealed the fragility of life. Maybe we’ve gotten comfortable with routines and expectations. However, we’ve been given the knowledge and opportunity to face life from a new perspective. With this, we can take risks, speak up for what is right, care less about what others think, let go of grudges, love more, and worry less.
If uncertainty isn’t your cup of tea, there are many promising additions to the new year that you can look forward to. The developments of Artificial Intelligence, or AI, this past year alone have set us up for an even bigger tech boom in 2023. Self-driving cars are demonstrating promise. Virtual and Augmented reality is no longer just for gamers; VR and AR are going mainstream this year. Drones are becoming more accessible to the everyday consumer, no longer reserved for professional videographers. Previously reserved for the financial sector, Blockchain technology is predicted to infiltrate healthcare, government, and education industries as the year progresses.
Streaming giants like Hulu, DirecTV, and FuboTV are replacing cable, making access to information and entertainment cheaper. Long-awaited films like Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, The Marvels, and Dune: Part Two are set to hit theaters. American favorites like Blink-182, Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, and Sam Smith are planning to release new albums this year.
But again, these are still predictions…leading us back to uncertainty. We can never truly know what the future will hold, which serves as our reminder to live each day like it’s our last. This year, take that risk you fear you’d fail terribly at—you might surprise yourself! No year, day, or moment should be taken for granted. Cheers to 2023.