I get totally jazzed about the start of a new year, and I don’t care who knows it. Does that mean I’ll actually stay up until the clock strikes midnight? Probably not. But I’ll be excited to wake up with that clean-slate feeling on January 1, 2023. Plus, it’s a good time to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’d like to go — and even make, dare I say, resolutions.
Some people hate on new year’s resolutions, and I’ve never quite understood it. They say stuff like, “Why do I have to wait until the new year to make a change?” The good news is that the Resolution Police aren’t going to arrest you for adopting a new habit midyear.
We should support each other anytime someone wants to make a positive change, whether the calendar reads January 1 or August 17. Don’t be one of those people who claims the gym will be so much better once the “resolution people” have given up. Maybe instead hope they stick it out this time if it leads to health improvements — physical, mental, or otherwise. Most people encounter enough naysaying courtesy of their own inner dialogue, so don’t add to it. Besides, naysayers aren’t fun to be around.
As I reflect on 2022 and look ahead to 2023, I’ve identified two words to help drive my decision-making: (1) simple and (2) deliberate.
By “simple,” I mean I want to make choices that lead toward a less complicated life. To me, this includes reducing the amount of clutter around me, which also means minimizing the number of things I acquire. Less things, more simplicity. It can be overwhelming to have too many options. I’ve read about that concept in countless self-improvement books over the years. For example, it’s easier to get dressed in the morning when you’re not choosing from eight billion options. I want to keep life as simple as possible by focusing on what’s internal rather than external.
“Deliberate” is a substitute for my original idea for the new year, which was “Do nothing aimlessly.” I want to be intentional about the choices I make. This means less browsing, and that includes stores, social media, and streaming services alike. We only have so much time and energy to give, and I want to be intentional about how I use both. Although Trikafta has improved my life in many ways (*imagine me laughing as I frolic through a field like on a drug commercial*), I still have energy limitations — as we all do. I have to do some rationing to ensure that I have the spoons to do it all. (If you don’t know the Spoon Theory, consider checking it out for the mere sake of having greater compassion.)
So, in 2023, I will strive to keep things simple.
I will be more deliberate with my time and energy.
How about you? What do you want to do more or less of in 2023? Or at any starting point you damn well please?!
There’s always room for growth, and that’s a big part of what makes the human experience so beautiful. I am on a constant quest to improve. If I ever reach the point when I prop my feet up and consider my work here done, I’ll be concerned.
I don’t ever want to extinguish the flames that burn inside me.
It’s always a good time to make a resolution / set a goal / register for a class / join a group / push yourself in a new way.
I better go embrace complexity and do everything aimlessly. There’s only about 33 hours (ET) until I can start being simple and deliberate.
