Ways to Find Renewal in the New Year
Create a List of Things to Look Forward to
Decide on One-Word for the Year Pick one word to guide you throughout the year. By choosing one word, you get clarity and focus. If it helps you to decide on that one word, think about and write down all that you want to get out of the upcoming year. If you see certain patterns and themes emerging, you might get a clue to help you decide what your one word could be. Here are a few one-word suggestions: Discipline | Simplify | Heal | Peace | Fun Include such things as seeing a family member after a long time apart, getting a novel that is coming out this year by your favorite author, going to a new restaurant that is opening, watching the new season of your favorite Netflix series. Creating a list of things that you are looking forward to will make you hopeful for the new year.
Did you know making new year’s resolutions dates back 4000 years to the Babylonians? Back then, people resolved to repay debts or return borrowed things by the end of the year. These days, as the new year begins, many of us feel it is a time to make changes in our life, start on a new path, do new things, and say goodbye to old habits, problems, and difficulties. Often, we start making new plans and new resolutions. According to a survey, 30% of Canadians make new year’s resolutions and among the top resolutions are the goals of getting healthy or getting more exercise. Do you make new year’s resolutions? How often have you stuck to them? If you have failed to stick to your resolution, you are not alone. Statistics from 2020 show that 80% of people give up on their resolution before the year is over. Additionally, given the limitations and uncertainty of the pandemic, that would have made it more difficult to achieve the goals we had planned for new year’s resolutions - thus adding more disappointment to an already challenging time. So, what if there was an alternative to making goal- based resolution this year? Instead, how about exploring a different approach to the change of the year? Keep it more achievable by simply resolving to live more fully and making your life better in some way. Here are a few suggestions. Create a Bucket List This is a list of things you would like to do, see, have, etc. You can work towards achieving them over the year. Each time you cross off an item, add a new one and keep it going. Over time, you will see how much you are accomplishing in the months and even years to come.
Reboot an Area of Your Life
Is there an area of your life that needs a refresh, and would you like to give it a boost in the new year? You may have gotten out of a routine, and you want to restart that. Could it be time to register for a course to upgrade your skills in something whether it is for a job or a hobby? Use the new year to get a fresh start and do something that reignites an area of your life.
Live in the Present Moment
Maintaining a state of presence in our day can lead us to more peace. As is what Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher says: "If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present." - Lao Tzu Resolve to live in the present. Living in the present moment means no longer worrying about what happened in the past and not fearing what will happen in the future. It means enjoying what is happening now and living for today.
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