A new day of possibility

For many of us, the New Year brings the opportunity to set goals. We resolve to eat healthier, to save a few extra dollars, or to prioritize our overall wellness and stop procrastinating on things that are important to us. Whether the goals we set are lofty or simple, the certainty we all share is the wall of demotivation that ensues. Whether the wall is built by naysayers, an unforeseen setback, or the daily grind, the truth is that we all face discouragement along the way. Depending on one’s resiliency, this wall can completely deter us from our path or it can, at a minimum, cause us to lose momentum. We may find what was once hopeful excitement for the year falters and stagnates as weeks maybe even months pass without tangible progress on our resolutions. If, or when, this happens to you, it is important to remember this basic truth ….resolutions can be made each and every day. With all the hype a New Year brings, we forget, at times, that a new day offers limitless potential- whether that day falls on January 1st or August 9th. Try this exercise: Wake up on a Monday morning and treat it with similar anticipation as your favorite holiday or your birthday (if you no longer enjoy your birthday, think of how a child experiences theirs). To do this, it will demand a degree of presence and keenness. The intent is to find the purposefulness of the day. It may not be as obvious as the turning of a calendar year, yet the power of the exercise lies in the subtlety. Now, consciously choose where to be resolute within that 24 hour period. Choose one activity or act, or possibly a way of being with yourself or others, that has been waiting patiently for you and resolve to see it through fruition. Start small, and as you succeed at building your ladder of confidence, day by day, inevitably you will find that you have conquered the wall or better yet, achieved your goal! Be forewarned, however, that the first day of the year may no longer hold the same meaning as it did before; when everyday becomes the first day, the possibilities are endless.