Resolutions

I wrote what was probably a very similar post to this one a few years ago. But, it’s time-relevant, and very much on my mind.

Now that the holidays are over, the talk switches to the new year. Which I mostly dislike. First of all, as someone who works in the school system and goes September through June, September has always felt like the new year. September is when our students are a grade older, when caseloads and classes switch, when everything is new. January has no importance to me; September is when my year starts.

The concept of The New Year, though, is such a stressful one. The idea of it puts pressure on us. This is a new year, so we must change and be different, and we shouldn’t taint it or mess it up. Everyone talks about resolutions, most of which are unreasonable or unattainable goals, and essentially set us for disappointment and self-loathing. Nobody can keep a resolution perfectly, and I firmly believe that. But we expect perfection, so the first time we deviate from our resolutions, or dabble in our bad habits again, we immediately feel like a failure. And we think, oh well. I tried but failed. Maybe next year.

And that’s not a good feeling. And it’s ineffective. So I do my best to not think that way.

When you think of a resolution, a habit you want to start or break, just start. Every moment, every hour, every day is a chance to make a choice. You don’t have to wait until January. Or April or Tuesday or 6pm. When you’re ready (especially when you’re NOT ready, because most people are not ready to make a change, there is no perfect moment, THIS is the perfect moment), do it.

And? Steps backwards, steps into old waters, and steps down the wrong path do not mean all is lost. If you’ve noticed it, it means you can reroute yourself.

Every moment is fresh and full of possibilities.