New Day’s Resolution – 2023

Happy New Day! Yes, I realize that it looks like a typo, but it’s not. There’s a reason the title is what it is. Let me explain . . .

A couple of weeks or so ago, I had a conversation with someone who asked me what my New Year’s Resolutions were. I replied that I don’t really have any. Nothing specific, anyway. I told her that I’m just not into them.

“Everyone has to have New Year’s Resolutions,” she said. “That’s what makes the new year so exciting. You get to start over. Get a fresh start. New year, new everything. It’s a time to look ahead. Everything changes!”

I love her optimism. I can see her reasoning, too, for sure. And I agree, it’s definitely a time to look forward. However, I guess I just don’t agree that just because it’s a different year at the stroke of midnight, the slate gets wiped clean and everything magically changes.

For example, 2022 was a year of some pretty major ups and downs for my family. We had a couple of deaths in the family, we had to say goodbye to our beloved dog, my dad was in and out of the hospital for about six months, my husband had a very scary health situation, and the stress of work and life has taken its toll on us. (Just like a lot of people!) And those things didn’t vanish at midnight. We’ll still have to deal with them this year. On the up side, however, we had some great successes like internships that have future potential, career change, plus we enjoyed traveling, and because of some of the hardships we endured, we’ve made some positive changes that we will continue to pursue this year. And 2023 looks to be a big year for our family – college graduation . . . kids starting their lives after school . . . new careers . . . some financial freedom . . . more camping and travel . . . definitely some great things ahead of us.

I didn’t want to seem pessimistic, and I definitely didn’t want to rain on her parade, so I just tried to explain to her that I have a different way of looking at it, and that I’m more of a “New Day” kind of person. I mean, why does “starting over” have to happen ON New Year’s day?

In my opinion, the “New Year” angle has been worked to death for many years, and it’s still going strong. It’s what gets us in the door of the local gym or to start that new diet. It gets us hyped to find a new job or get our finances under control. It urges us to get the latest-and-greatest technology upgrade. It convinces us to buy a new car, what with the great sales and low interest rates . . . and on and on it goes. The problem is that these excited feelings tend to be short-lived. Our efforts to get a handle on our love handles or money woes often fall short of our high expectations. The novelty of our new “toy”, as well as that new car smell, disappear. And down the drain we go . . .

So my question, then, is “why not now?”

Today is “New Day”!

It’s just as good a time as any to start something new. Pick something doable and start today. Maybe your goal is to be better hydrated. Okay – start by drinking an extra glass of water today. Then continue that practice tomorrow. If you want to get some more exercise rather than sit on the couch watching TV, you could try marching in place while you watch or, if you have a treadmill, hop on and watch your favorite show. Make a date with yourself a few days each week to continue the routine. Or maybe you want to cut back on spending. I suppose you could think about what you need versus what you want and let that help to influence your decision to buy. If your goal takes a bit more planning, do your research today and then set up a day (VERY soon!) that works for you to begin. Then continue to do it. Whatever your goal may be, let it be yours and do it your way. Let’s face it, good choices and habits are easier to sustain when they’re on your terms. And the victories are so much sweeter!

I figure time is a continuum. It keeps on ticking. We can certainly take a few moments to reflect on the past and use the lessons we learned to shape a positive future for ourselves. But New Year’s Day only happens once every twelve months, and if something isn’t working for me in April, it would be reeeeeeally difficult to wait another eight months to make a change for the better. So, rather than a “New Year’s Resolution”, I’m making a “New Day’s Resolution” to keep moving forward. Continue the positive changes I made last year into this year. And if I’m faced with a challenge, or something that isn’t working for me, I’m going to extend myself a little bit of grace, make a change right then and there, and move on.

You may or may not agree with my feelings on the subject, and that’s perfectly ok. I’m not sharing this with you to try to convince you one way or the other. I simply believe that we have enough to deal with in life and don’t need the added pressure of holding ourselves to unrealistic, self-imposed resolutions we set on a certain day each year. I don’t think we need a new year to make a new start or make a positive change. Every “New Day” is a good time to express our gratitude for the lessons we’ve learned, remove what no longer benefits us, then move forward with open minds, a positive outlook, and hope in our hearts.

I wish you a very happy New Day!!!

#HappyNewDay #KeepMovingForward

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