I thrive off of new beginnings. Whether it’s another birthday or a new year, I live for moments to start anew – my rebirth of sorts.
Life gets stale pretty quickly and too often people find themselves in ruts – doing the same things day in and day out without question. I promised myself to never be one of those people who becomes too afraid to challenge their comfortable, safe, predictable life.
When I turned 20 I got my first tattoo; at 21 I signed up for a half-marathon. Last year at new year’s I was determined to get in control of what had become some embarrassing partying habits. And I have followed through, with my best effort, in everything I have taken on.
This year I have resolved to track my 2010 new year’s resolution on my blog: I took up the challenge to eat everything anyone offers me in order to expand my eating horizons (a lifetime challenge of food fear).
And while I could simply accept my limitations, I make sure I value those certain set dates every year that act as reminders for me to change my life for the better. Without them I would have never pushed myself to set specific goals based on unchangeable timelines and would not be able to learn more about who I am.
Furthermore, this ritual of settings goals every year necessitates one to re-evaluate themselves. The big question becomes: am I the person I thought I would be at this point in my life? If the answer is no, then change it, no excuses.
New year’s acts as a silent judgment day, whether or not you achieved your goals it still looms in everyone’s mind and instills an appropriate guilt trip for those who, once again, settle for what’s comfortable.
