A new year always means new beginnings. It is a time period when people of all ages take stock of their lives, vow to become better people, to lose those pounds, to become more active/well-read/charitable. It is a time for reflection and for thanksgiving.
Yet, why do people only perform this ritual around January 1st? What makes a new year different from a new month? A new week? A new day? If one truly wants to become a “better” person, why wait until January? Why is it so difficult to adopt the same attitude every day versus every year?
How did we get into this rut in the first place? How did society come to place so much emphasis on the year versus on a month? Experts state that people need to enjoy life and take things one day at a time, but society focuses on the entire year in review versus a shorter period of time. Why?
I am as guilty of this as the next person. The new year is always filled with such hope, more so than a new day, week or even month. However, I cannot help but think that we all do ourselves a disservice by this attitude. Would our resolutions last longer, would we be more successful if we treated each day as a fresh beginning?
This year, I resolve to treat every day as a new day. Every day is a fresh beginning, and if I fail a resolution, I will try again the next day. It is time to start judging ourselves by an entire year and start truly living life one day at a time. Who’s with me?
Thanks, Ceri! I've been following this rule since I wrote this and have to say that I'm enjoying things so much more. I don't feel the guilt or the stress of feeling like I've failed. It's a great feeling!
Great resolution, Mich. 😀 I agree – too much emphasis is placed on the year. When someone fails to live up to their resolution one day, they just give up and say 'Better luck next year'. Why not start again tomorrow? (As you said.) Great attitude. 😀
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There will always be days where I will want to say, "Back to the chocolate", but I hope to at least be able to shake that off upon waking up the next day and starting fresh. If we don't do this, don't we set ourselves up for failure?
I'm not saying that the fresh, blank slate is a bad thing. We all need that feeling in our life, where we stop to take stock of where we are and where we want to be. This is how we grow as a human. But as far as resolutions are concerned? If we truly want to make those necessary changes, we need to make sure that we shorten our expectations to one day at a time for true success.
What a great idea to treat each day as a new day and a fresh start. I definitely always consider the new year to be a new, fresh, blank slate. It always makes me feel more hopeful and resolute, though you are right, no real reason for that.
I typically don't make resolutions either, but I want to make sure that I keep this "clean slate" feeling with me throughout the year. It is so invigorating!
Thanks! It may need some reminding every now and then.
Go for it!!
That's a great resolution! We should all live every day to the fullest.
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I'm with you! Great idea!
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