January 1, 2022

New Years. What’s the first word that pops into your head when you read those words?  For many people, it’s “resolution.”  What would a new year be without the all-famous new year’s resolution?  That singular opportunity to put behind you all you regret.  That chance to start anew.  That ability to begin afresh and make changes in the days ahead.  

But didn’t you already do that just 365 days prior?  In my case, I have been coming up with a new year’s resolution for twenty years.  And though each is honorable and well-intentioned, the repetition is making me start to doubt the emphasis put on January 1st.  When I was young, I vowed to clean my room more often.  As I entered middle school, I insisted I would eat healthier.  High school introduced me to new challenges that I was determined to overcome – such as engaging in less screen time.  

Sometimes I followed through on my resolutions, but many times I did not.  And when I did not, I felt guilty or disappointed in myself – vowing to do better the following year.  But why start the beginning of a new year with a spotlight on the parts of yourself you want to change? Why not celebrate and welcome all of the positive aspects of your life from the prior year - perhaps the way you have followed through with your passions, or have impacted the lives of others in meaningful ways?

Covid, and the challenges that accompanied it, made me reconsider the significance of the new year’s resolution. Looking ahead and aiming for self-improvement is admirable, but I have decided it is more important to celebrate my past year and how it has allowed me to resolve certain obstacles and challenges. My goal is to convert the emphasis on the new year’s resolution to a commemoration of the prior year’s accomplishments.  Rather than feeling regret for what was not achieved and focusing on the need to make changes in the upcoming year, I think each person should focus on the greatest parts of the past year.  What issues did each of us resolve?  

I know I am proud that I spent valuable time connecting with friends and family.  This past year, I stepped out of my shell and met new people during the hardest of circumstances.  I focused on improving myself academically, spiritually, and emotionally.  I revisited books I had procrastinated reading for years, and I began to learn recipes and explore unique forms of cooking (not to say they all turned out successful – but at least I tried).  I reached out to elderly residents in assisted living facilities so they would not feel isolated when the world shut down so abruptly.  

This December 31, rather than focus on a resolution and the need to change and improve myself where I have failed, I am excited to acknowledge my personal growth and the bonds I continue to form with my siblings, friends, and family.  Don’t get me wrong – I still plan to eat more healthy food, exercise, spend time connecting with others, and clean my room more often. But my main focus this New Year’s will be to look back on the past year and smile with delight at how happy I have been. I couldn’t ask for much more than that, which is why my new year’s resolution will be to continue that happiness and health into the upcoming year as well.