The cold comes as always
Unannounced, without warning
Yet otherwise expected
As we whirl about bright star.
Those frozen fingers find us
And eventually take us home
But even in such passage
Those remaining remember our warmth
And breathe our memory into spring.
2015 is coming to an end tonight, and a great many of us will be welcoming in 2016 in some celebratory fashion. With friends, loved ones, or others we hardly know at all, many will party and commemorate the transition within an atmosphere of revelry and great circumstance.
Wonderful. By all means, have a great time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating the transition from this year to the new one. But what shall you make of the new year? What changes do you plan to make to improve your life, your relationships, your circumstances, your overall well being?
Every year it seems, the same people make the same resolutions to do so many great things and make so many great changes in their lives. And every year at this time they seem to be stuck in the same position, making the same resolutions again. If that is you, don’t be discouraged. I’ve been there. Making promises to myself without doing the things necessary to keep those promises.
Plan. Set goals. Build upon each small step along the way.
You have to make small changes in accord with an actual plan with small achievable goals in order to reach those lofty goals you set this time of the year. It is easy to say you are going to do something to change your life or your circumstance, but it takes some amount of planning to actually get there. And sometimes you have to reach out for help with some goals.
Remember to set achievable steps to help you get to those great goals you have set for yourself. Don’t try to be something you haven’t been for years or do something that is contrary to years-long, ingrained habits. Doing so only sets you up for failure.
And for those of you who, like me, take this transition as a time to reflect on the changes you have already made and to gauge their effectiveness to make adjustments where necessary, to you I say keep up the good work, keep moving forward, and keep encouraging yourself and others to betterment. Life is too damn short to regret and too wonderful to despair.
Happy New Year, everyone! Be safe, be realistic, and be the best you possible.
Wayne A Delk 