By this time, you've probably been asked that question often enough that you either have a canned response, or you're bitter about how things aren't turning out. For all of the anticipation of a new year, most Januaries are pretty disappointing. Instead of a new world, we find the same routine. So what is the value of a new year? It's not what you might think, but there are encouraging answers to that question in unexpected places.
1. A New Year is a New Way to Perceive the World.
Numbers carry connotations with them, and not just on special years like Y2K. 2021 might not have any deep significance now, but one main reason that we humans mark time is to help our memories. Now, depending on your personality, dates might not make a big difference to you, but partitioning off time can help determine how we perceive reality. Start small, and make the choices that will help make this a year filled with meaningful memories.
2. Resolutions Shouldn't Be Specific Goals, but Challenges to Perceptions.
What do you want to remember this year for? Don't get bogged down in the mundane! Instead of "resolving" to go to the gym 5 times a week, every week of the year, consider what you want the year to be about. Do you want to get healthy? Resolve to make that a priority this year. Specific resolutions miss the point of partitioning off such a large amount of time. Instead, make a general resolution, and develop specific goals throughout the year to help you keep that focus.
3. Take Time to Ponder the Moment.
As we transition into a new year, and you get used to writing 2021 on your checks, be mindful of the present. It's easy to get weighed down by the routines of life, so make the difference in the date a reason to pause and think about this year of your life. Don't get caught up in the implications of the moment, just enjoy thinking about where you are now. How does it compare to where you want to be?
A new year gives new opportunities!
Don't get caught up in the perceptions, resolutions, and clichés, use this change in the calendar to give you a reason to ponder time. Resolve to make this year purposeful, intentional, meaningful. But don't let your resolution be a cause for guilt. Change the way you perceive the world. Time is changing, and so is the world around you. Grow with the changes of the new year!