Wishing Everyone the Happiest of New Year's
Here we are all, again.
A new year has begun, and we all mean to make the most of it.
But how many of us will?
How will it all play out for us?
I spend a lot of time alone and in silence. Just thinking about all the "What if's?", "What could's?", and "Why's?"
But I haven't yet seemed to spend enough time with the answers to the questions that follow me around and shadow my every step.
I could sit here typing right now and say something bold. Something like: "This is the year that all ends!" or "Today marks the first day where I will turn it all around!" Maybe I could type: "This is the first day of the rest of my life!"
But the truth is, every day is the first day of the rest of our lives. Every day is a whole new beginning to a whole new year. Just because we have a 12 month calendar, that imperfectly divides the years into months, and denotes today as a whole new beginning, that doesn't mean that January 1st has any real significance when it comes to changing our lives or modifying our wishes for ourselves.
Life is such a fluid concept. Reality dripping like water and soaking us through. A near constant barrage of opportunity, present themselves over and again each and every day.
Resolutions. Those grand proclamations of self-betterment. Statements made that are just as likely to fail as succeed. It's been a thing that I have completely given up on over a decade ago and I haven't tried to make one since.
This year, I think I'm going to go in a different route. To try a different path to see if it nets results without burdening me with unrealistic expectations or slaying me with disappointment should I fail.
I have picked a few things I'm hoping to change. I've isolated the thoughts of the results I'd like to achieve. Not just in the coming year, but inside of myself and within my life overall.
And then I asked myself, what types of tiny things could I do on a regular basis that might possibly help to get there?
For instance:
I work construction in a rather tough field. Over the years it's taken a real and noticeable toll on my body, physically. Back and joint pain being the most prominent of it.
I'd like to reduce the amount of pain and stress I tend to endure as I age.
To that end, I've asked myself, "What could I do to help alleviate these issues."
After some research, I've relearned what I've known for a long time, and that is that exercise is the cheapest and most effective way to manage chronic pain.
Now, I could have made some grand proclamation about a New Year - New Me, mindset and joined some gym. I could have done a few weeks or months of strength training somewhere to try and achieve the results I would like to see. But I realized that such a big change, or sudden shift in lifestyle, would likely be doomed to failure at some point. Probably leaving me feeling less than stellar, or as a complete failure.
Instead, I've decided to try and build a few small habits that over time, may or may not produce the type of changes in my pain levels. Over a week ago I decided that I would try and do 25 pushups every day.
That's it.
It's not some giant leap into a whole new world. It's not a grand commitment of time, energy, and resources. It's not a make me or break me scenario. It's just 25 pushups everyday whenever I have the time.
On the 4th day of it, I had almost forgotten due to an otherwise busy day. So, I decided to start tracking it on a piece of paper that I keep in a noticeable area of my apartment that I walk by every day at least 20 times. I haven't forgotten about it since. Next week, I am adding 25 sit-ups to the paper and I'll track that as well.
The point is, I decided to do this absent of the crushing weight of some grand resolution of change. It's a tiny shift in the way I live my daily life. But over time, if I keep at it and it actually does become a habit, it could and likely will produce some of the results I'm hoping for, as well as other results I hadn't even thought about.
If grand and sweeping changes are your thing every year..., then by all means, have at it.
But for me, I'm taking stock of my life, the way I live, the things I'd like to do, and the person I hope to be. I'm working backwards from those thoughts until I find simple things that I can change that might possibly bring me closer to those things I've deemed important. I'm not trying to do a complete make-over. I'm just trying to grow and evolve over time. One small change at a time.
Anyways, I'm wishing everyone the very best in 2025. A lot of people I know had very tough years. I'm hoping this year produces better outcomes for them.
Me..? I'll be over here changing small things. If it helps, it helps. If it doesn't..? Maybe I'll change something else ?
Happy New Year !
Be well
Live happy
Keep Trying,
Rob
A new year has begun, and we all mean to make the most of it.
But how many of us will?
How will it all play out for us?
I spend a lot of time alone and in silence. Just thinking about all the "What if's?", "What could's?", and "Why's?"
But I haven't yet seemed to spend enough time with the answers to the questions that follow me around and shadow my every step.
I could sit here typing right now and say something bold. Something like: "This is the year that all ends!" or "Today marks the first day where I will turn it all around!" Maybe I could type: "This is the first day of the rest of my life!"
But the truth is, every day is the first day of the rest of our lives. Every day is a whole new beginning to a whole new year. Just because we have a 12 month calendar, that imperfectly divides the years into months, and denotes today as a whole new beginning, that doesn't mean that January 1st has any real significance when it comes to changing our lives or modifying our wishes for ourselves.
Life is such a fluid concept. Reality dripping like water and soaking us through. A near constant barrage of opportunity, present themselves over and again each and every day.
Resolutions. Those grand proclamations of self-betterment. Statements made that are just as likely to fail as succeed. It's been a thing that I have completely given up on over a decade ago and I haven't tried to make one since.
This year, I think I'm going to go in a different route. To try a different path to see if it nets results without burdening me with unrealistic expectations or slaying me with disappointment should I fail.
I have picked a few things I'm hoping to change. I've isolated the thoughts of the results I'd like to achieve. Not just in the coming year, but inside of myself and within my life overall.
And then I asked myself, what types of tiny things could I do on a regular basis that might possibly help to get there?
For instance:
I work construction in a rather tough field. Over the years it's taken a real and noticeable toll on my body, physically. Back and joint pain being the most prominent of it.
I'd like to reduce the amount of pain and stress I tend to endure as I age.
To that end, I've asked myself, "What could I do to help alleviate these issues."
After some research, I've relearned what I've known for a long time, and that is that exercise is the cheapest and most effective way to manage chronic pain.
Now, I could have made some grand proclamation about a New Year - New Me, mindset and joined some gym. I could have done a few weeks or months of strength training somewhere to try and achieve the results I would like to see. But I realized that such a big change, or sudden shift in lifestyle, would likely be doomed to failure at some point. Probably leaving me feeling less than stellar, or as a complete failure.
Instead, I've decided to try and build a few small habits that over time, may or may not produce the type of changes in my pain levels. Over a week ago I decided that I would try and do 25 pushups every day.
That's it.
It's not some giant leap into a whole new world. It's not a grand commitment of time, energy, and resources. It's not a make me or break me scenario. It's just 25 pushups everyday whenever I have the time.
On the 4th day of it, I had almost forgotten due to an otherwise busy day. So, I decided to start tracking it on a piece of paper that I keep in a noticeable area of my apartment that I walk by every day at least 20 times. I haven't forgotten about it since. Next week, I am adding 25 sit-ups to the paper and I'll track that as well.
The point is, I decided to do this absent of the crushing weight of some grand resolution of change. It's a tiny shift in the way I live my daily life. But over time, if I keep at it and it actually does become a habit, it could and likely will produce some of the results I'm hoping for, as well as other results I hadn't even thought about.
If grand and sweeping changes are your thing every year..., then by all means, have at it.
But for me, I'm taking stock of my life, the way I live, the things I'd like to do, and the person I hope to be. I'm working backwards from those thoughts until I find simple things that I can change that might possibly bring me closer to those things I've deemed important. I'm not trying to do a complete make-over. I'm just trying to grow and evolve over time. One small change at a time.
Anyways, I'm wishing everyone the very best in 2025. A lot of people I know had very tough years. I'm hoping this year produces better outcomes for them.
Me..? I'll be over here changing small things. If it helps, it helps. If it doesn't..? Maybe I'll change something else ?
Happy New Year !
Be well
Live happy
Keep Trying,
Rob
