Happy New Year from the Thoughts that Bind!!! We’re all feeling that familiar turn of the wheel, change of the calendar on the wall. And I’m hearing all these people talk about how this year is going to be their year, a better year, a building year, and all those things that people say in late December and early January. And as usual, it’s got me feeling pretty reflective.
New Year’s Resolutions
Now I’ve written about resolutions before—read more about that here. And this year I feel a familiar disconnection from it. I think it’s no surprise for most of us that New Year’s resolutions don’t stick for most people, and I’ve heard it said that most are abandoned by February. (Read this one for how to keep New Year’s resolutions!)
No, the whole idea of “New year, new me” tends to be some cruel joke we play on ourselves in 365 day intervals. The one thing you will almost certainly bring into this new year is your same old self. I’ll give you a moment to let that sink in.
Coming to terms with you this year
Okay, moment over. Do you remember the last time that you could unironically say that you liked yourself? A lot of us are on healing journeys, trying to improve ourselves and leave behind the hurt of our pasts. This is a great goal, and whatever you can do this year to sow peace and harmony is a good thing.
But sometimes the best thing you can do is let things be still and practice acceptance. You have likely made some mistakes in your life—maybe even horrific ones. But if you’re using that guilt to torture yourself with, you’re actually impeding yourself from moving forward and making the world a better place as you do so. Often enough our shame keeps us from sharing, from giving, and from improving. We become paralyzed in a cyclone of internal judgments and negativity, instead of focusing on things that are stable, peaceful, and kind. For both yourself and the world around you.
Plans for the year
Maybe you want to make a New Year’s resolution, or a few! That’s great! I love self improvement! But I’m here to say that if your only resolution is continued existence and you’re just going to see what tomorrow holds, I think that’s good too.
Often we think that this time of year should look like something specific, and the same goes for our goals. We think they should be auspicious and achievement based or impressive or they should be what other people want for us, and I just couldn’t disagree more.
My wish for you
In this year that’s rolling around, my wish for you is that you’re able to connect with the quiet, kind, wholesome side of things that exists beyond and beneath and beside all error and terror and pain. I am so grateful that a soul like you exists, and I hope you’re able to feel the same. I hope you’re able to relax into the miracle of life and existence, and forgive yourself for whatever does or doesn’t lie in your past—at the very least, enough to be able to sleep at night, to be able to experience beauty and creativity, and to partake in it yourself. You deserve to see and feel the healthy, full you. And the world will only benefit from it too. I love you, and thanks for being here with me today!
