If I had a nickel for every time someone said, "I can't wait for 2017 to get here." I'd be rich. We all would.
When I entered 2016 I was filled with hope and excitement for the coming year. Yet early in 2016 I experienced health problems, incredible stress in my life, and a myriad of occurrences that made life seem like it was throwing me for a loop. The year continued in that vein and it wasn't one of my favorites.
The year brought tremendous joy for myself and my family members but also tremendous pain and sadness. It was a mixture of blessings and curses that made me want to jump on the bandwagon and exclaim that I too could not wait for 2016 to end.
Then I remembered. As happens every year, when I put my hope in the next 365 days I am setting myself up for failure and disappointment. 365 days is 8,760 hours or 525,600 seconds and that is simply too much of an investment for my hopes. I've done it before and my new year resolution for 2017 is not to do it again.
When I begin a year full of hope and things go wrong early, it sets the stage for a tough year ahead. It can taint the entire year and put me in the mindset of looking for the challenges instead of appreciating the blessings.
So here are ten things I'm going to do for 2017:
1) I will take this year day by day. I will plan ahead because as Ben Franklin said, "Failure to plan is planning to fail". However I will be more present in each day and look for the opportunity in each moment to be thankful or to turn a situation around.
2) I will wake up each day and wish myself a happy new day. I will know that each minute, each hour, each day, each week, each month is an opportunity for goodness to enter my life and for a frown to be turned upside down.
3) I will try to tackle one day at a time and do the very best I can on that day and try so-very-hard not to worry about tomorrow.
4) I will deliberately look for the good in each day and when I can't find it I'll know that tomorrow is a new day and I can begin again. Even with unspeakable sorrow, I know I can overcome anything that comes my way, given time.
5) I will hold onto the good in my life. The people, the books, the activities that bring me joy and I will immerse myself in those things as much as I'm able to. I will do it deliberately and often.
6) I will take one problem, one tweet, one issue at a time and I will hold it up to the light and act on it in the best way possible. I will not bury my head in the sand and I will also not let it bury me in sorrow.
7) I will be careful with my heart. I will guard against those that wish to upset my apple cart or that I allow to upset my apple cart and I will choose my friends wisely. I will have no time or energy for uninvited negativity.
8) I will have hope for the world but also be vigilant for injustices and do my part to ensure that someone else doesn't experience unspeakable sorrow or damage.
9) I will do everything in my power to understand those I disagree with which is different from tolerating what I know to be wrong. I will work to understand different perspectives allowing me to feel love for the person separate from their beliefs. I will attempt to stop judging people according to their vote and will work to influence those I disagree with through love and patience.
10) I will seek counseling when needed from my friends, my husband and perhaps a professional to get me through each day on a positive enough note that I can make it to the next with some hope and efficiency.
Just like planning to lose weight, I will inevitably fail at this early on. I will allow fear to take me down a path that will be negative and unproductive. I will fail and then it will be easier to think that it was bound to happen and since it happened so early, my fate is sealed until December 31st 2017.
This is why I am committed to one day. I am only promised one day. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come so all I have is today. - Alan Coren.
The promise of one day is so incredibly enticing and feels manageable. More manageable than my norm which is to look so far ahead that I am either retired or dead in the story and I'm not certain how I got there in a matter of minutes.
I will work to be patient with me and I will look forward to tomorrow when I lay myself down to sleep. I will work to treat every evening as a December 31st and appreciate the promise that each new day brings. I will not mark my time by arbitrary dates, but rather by the opportunity in each moment coupled with the promise of tomorrow.
So, I wish you a happy new day in 2017.
All 365 of them.
One at a time.
