New Year’s Resolutions

Perfect Timing

The perfect moment

to make a change is right now.

Not just New Year’s Day.

Many resolutions are made on the first day of each year. We examine ourselves and determine how we need to change so that we can be our best selves. We make pledges and are committed to make those changes. We aim to eat healthier, to exercise more, to become more financially responsible, to be better parents or friends or colleagues. We set weekly, monthly, or yearly goals. We know that this year it will be different, that we will succeed in achieving the goals we set for ourselves.

Does that sound familiar? It does to me. And how well do we do in keeping our promises to ourselves? At what week or month do we relapse, have a huge slice of birthday cake, or overspend, or bypass the gym for a cozy date with Netflix? And how many of us at that point just give up? We become disappointed, see ourselves as weak, as not having the strength to do what we knew was right. We caved in, but instead of trying to get back on track we tell ourselves that we will do it next year, for sure. Come January 1^st next year I’ll start again, we tell ourselves, and I will stick with it, for sure. Next year will be different.

Do we even remember that January 1^st is just a convenient starting point but that every moment presents us with an opportunity to change for better or for worse?  (Let us keep our focus on better here). There is no reason we cannot make a resolution at nine in the morning on February 10^th or any other random hour on any other nondescript day. We can then either get back on track if we relapse after January 1^st or make a new resolution if that makes us feel better and helps us forget that we failed to keep that January 1^st vow.

So, there is no need to have to wait until next year to start over if we slip up; every new moment, every nano second gifts us the chance to begin anew.

Happy 2022 everyone!