I’m never sure what to make of the new year. New Year’s Eve, December 31 is a memorable date being the day before January 1. As the day progresses towards it’s culmination at 12:00 AM people plan and endure innumerable hardships in an effort to make the moment memorable. In the end, it’s just another moment in a string of moments. January 1 brings gatherings of friends and families as the new year gets underway. I prefer this sharing of the passing of time in a carefree and caring manner and still, it’s just another date. I say all this while still holding on to the fact that I had my first date with my partner 20 years ago on NYE. That really was memorable and as a result I will not forget our anniversary.
Why do we let the calendar govern our behavior so? You can set goals, make resolutions, soul search on any day but the auspiciousness of 1/1 overshadows them all. I think it’s important to remember that just because a goal wasn’t set on New Year’s Day it doesn’t become any less or more important. I believe in having permission to reset your clock at any time. If your goals get derailed, take stock, sit, think, prioritize and begin where you left off.
And then there’s life, that stuff that fuels and drains us. Working to put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads. I always say that if I did every day the things one says you should do every day (play the guitar, practice vocal scales, stand on my head, eat three square, practice asana, meditate and practice pranayama, eat my veggies, etc.) I wouldn’t have time for anything else.
I write this now as though I’m some kind of expert. I’m not. In fact I’ve abandoned more goals than I’ve accomplished. This does not make me unique. It probably makes me average
I guess the moral of the story is “don’t beat yourself up.” Your Sankalpa isn’t going anywhere and chances are you’re pretty terrific just the way you are. The work, the adjustments made over time will serve to make you more so. Sure, I have goals and those goals aren’t made, kept, met or shifted according to the calendar. They are reviewed and analyzed regularly. There is freedom in this.
Embrace that.