New Year's Day

It's January 1st.  The first day of the first month of the new year.  Why is that significant?  It's simple really.  New Year's Day is about rebirth.  It's about new chances and new opportunities.  It's a clean slate, so to speak...or is it?

Happy New Year!

The real rebirth begins the night before, on New Year's Eve.  See, we go to parties and completely reward ourselves for a year of failure, success, debauchery, and triumph and then we begin a countdown.  At midnight, we begin anew.  We start fresh, as does the calendar.

But do we really?

We continue the party past midnight, so is it really a clean slate?  New Year's Day usually involves watching a parade or a game while nursing a hangover, right?  So how can we call it a fresh start?

We strive to make "resolutions" that are well beyond a reasonable expectation and we full well know we'll never make it longer than a month in honoring those resolutions.  We return to work the following day and begin the idol chit chats of how our Holidays went but nothing changes.

New Year's Day and all that comes with it is just the excuse we give ourselves to party on New Year's Eve and live the way we want to the rest of the year.

2016 was pretty terrible as far as years go, so why not try something different for 2017?  Why not use New Year's Day as a true rebirth?

Let's resolve to be a kinder people in 2017.  Smile at strangers.  Hold open doors.  Respect the needs of the many over the wants of the few.

Let's resolve to try new things in 2017.  Things that scare us; thrill us; enhance us as a person.

Let's resolve to continue the battle against injustice in the White House.

Let's resolve to stand our ground in our convictions.

Let's resolve to be the people we promise to be on January 1st.

Let's not put unrealistic exercise goals and weight loss numbers on ourselves.

Let's not hope for that which is not achievable.

Let's not cry over spilled milk.

Let's not get stuck in a pattern of terrible behavior.

2017 IS a clean slate, a fresh start, a New Year.

Go out and be merry.  Go forth and be kind.  Set goals that are reachable and THEN push past them.

These things I DO resolve:

I am going to make 2016 wish it never happened by the way I attempt to behave in 2017.

I am going to make 2017 a great year by spending more time with loved ones and less time with Trash Bags and Train Wrecks.

I am going to work more efficiently doing what I love and I am going to say "No" to the things that don't make me happy.

I am going to exercise to feel good, not to lose weight.

I'm going to cope with stress differently.

That's it.  Those are the resolutions I strive for in 2017.  I will fall on occasion but I will not fail.  They are achievable.

May 2017 bring you the clarity you need to attain the life you deserve.  From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a Happy New Year.