Personal Growth

2018 Year of Renewal

happynewyear2018So it’s a new year.  I’m always struck how this arbitrary line in time is given so much importance.  I mean, it makes sense.  But then it doesn’t, really.  Resolutions are made and rarely make it past the first week of the new year, but we still do it, year after year.  Wipe the slate, start over, good intentions and plans for better outcomes.  Until we “fail” and then it’s forgotten until the next New Year’s Eve/Day.

I’ve tried to stay away from the whole New Year Resolution thing for years because I believe it sets us up for failure.  Instead, I’ve tried to embrace the idea of choosing a theme for the year, and focusing on that.

Of course grad school, coming to grips with chronic illness, changing jobs, weight loss surgery, and other changes for the past few years has demanded my attention and focus, and even yearly themes have been something I’ve lost track of as the year progressed.

2018 feels different to me, and I think it’s because it’s really a time of change for me.  I finished grad school mid-December.  I started looking back and realized that I’ve been in school almost non-stop in addition to work and family, for basically the last 10 years.  It’s been a decade since I’ve had significant amounts of free time, so this is all unfamiliar territory for me.  When invited to join things, or when I’ve had an interest in an activity or hobby for the last few years, I’ve said “yes, in 2018.”  Well, 2018 is here and I have quite the list.  I can’t do everything that has interested me, but I do have some things to start with.

So I’ve decided the theme of 2018 is going to be Renewal.  Renewal of hobbies and interests.  Renewal of career momentum.  Renewal of relationships with the people most important to me.  Renewal of my self-care program.  Renewal of my physical health initiatives.

So Happy New Year, and I share this quote from Neil Gaiman as my wish for all of you:

gaiman_new_year