This is not an article about New Year’s resolutions. It’s also not about, “New Year, New You!” And it’s also definitely not about a New Year Cleanse. But in the spirit of new-ness and the excitement and possibility that comes along with the blank slate of a brand new year, this article is about beginning.
I love the idea of a fresh start with the New Year. The Winter Solstice has just passed and the days are getting longer. There’s an all-around feeling of renewal and hope – time to move forward and shake off the old stuff that wasn’t quite working. But we also run the risk of examining ourselves a little too critically, focusing on the stuff that we feel is “wrong” with ourselves and then pledging to “fix it” or “do better”.
Instead of making a list of specific and possibly unrealistic resolutions/goals that a) you have made before and not kept and b) focus on your perceived flaws, gently guide yourself in a direction where the focus is on creating positive energy throughout each day.
But how to begin?
There are little things we can do to get that positive energy flowing: keep a gratitude journal, be in nature, just breathe. Create a vision board, set intentions each day. Ask yourself from time to time: what’s standing in my way/holding me back from moving forward? (Spoiler alert: it’s fear.) Self-awareness and a little courage will take you far. Take little steps each day, because they do add up. And at the end of the year you’ll realize how far you’ve gotten by taking those (sometimes really tiny) steps.
However, there will be moments, days, maybe even weeks in the upcoming year that will suck. You will not feel cheerful and happy all the time, and that’s OK – you are a human, not a cartoon character. But the good news is that all those steps you’ve been taking to bring positive energy into your life will help you get through those times.
When the crappy feelings arrive, the idea is to not beat yourself up about it. In meditation, we are taught to congratulate ourselves when we find our minds have wandered, as opposed to berating ourselves. Do the same with yourself – when you notice that you’ve been sucked into a vortex of negativity, pat yourself on the back for realizing it, sit with it for a bit and examine the feelings/situation without judgement, and then move on when it’s time. Begin again.
If you do have a New Year’s goal or resolution that you’re excited about, my advice to you is: Begin. And begin again as necessary.
The best news: there’s no need to wait for a fresh calendar page to begin. We are given the gift of a fresh start in every new moment. Go at your own pace, begin again a million times if need be, and recognize each little achievement (as well as each perceived mistake or failure) as an important piece of the bigger picture of your life.
Happy New Year!
