Dear CeCeDear Readers:
The phrase “Happy New Year” conjures up images of fireworks, time with friends, and the setting of new goals and resolutions to improve in the new year. What a load of pressure that can be! Which kind of New Year’s Resolution person are you? Do any of the statements below resonate with you?
I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions
I make them, but come on its the middle of January! I let that go a couple of days ago!
That was a stupid resolution!
I’m still working it . . .
Whichever type of person you are, my hope is that you are gentle with yourself, allow for imperfection, and pursue happiness in 2023. Whatever that means to you. Only you can make you happy. As with all things, use resolutions only if they work for you. If it opens the door to feeling shame and blame for not hitting a goal, DON’T DO IT! If it serves as a motivation, an opportunity to leave the past behind, embrace it and use it to your benefit.
It may surprise you to know that less than 40% of people make new year’s resolutions. The older we are the less likely we are to make new year’s resolutions. Only 9% of people who make resolutions succeed. LESS THAN ONE OUT OF 10!! 23% quit after the first week and 64% after the first month. Isn’t that interesting?! I hope if you made a resolution and quit, these statistics will comfort you and let you know that it happens to all of us. These stats and more are found in this very interesting article on Inside Out Mastery.
Back to resolutions. Rebekah Carter, writing for CircleDNA wrote “For many of us, the new year represents a fresh start, which is a concept that holds a lot of power. Metaphorically hitting the ‘reset’ button on January 1st helps give you some mental clarity and internal motivation to put your best foot forward in the new year. Making a “fresh start” isn’t just a figure of speech, it’s a psychological concept – one which has inspired a lot of discussion over the years.”
The new year is one of many so called “Temporal Landmarks,” which signify a point in time that feels like a time of ending and beginning. Other temporal landmarks include new seasons, new months, the first day of a new week, or even our birthday. I think I’ve used them all, as the fresh start appeals to me and makes it easier to leave behind the old baggage. My new year’s resolution this year, is a continuing resolution; to meet every situation, every person, including myself, with loving kindness, curiosity and forgiveness. Please join me. Start with you. Forgive your own imperfections. If, or when you feel you fall short, be curious about why. Forgive yourself, give yourself love and the benefit of the doubt. You hold all the answers to your own happiness and peace. I wish those qualities for each of you in abundance!
Happy New Year!! CeCe
