Great news! I checked… you don’t have to make resolutions around the new year. There’s no requirement or even moral code that mandates that the laundry list of self-improvement items we perennially draw up- and then ignore a month later- must be written on tablets just because the calendar provides us a “new” year next week.
You have infinite freedom to decide when and how you are going to make personal changes or even subtle shifts in how you do things, how you feel about shifting things, what you can tweak that you have real control over.
I provide this inspiration (not to be viewed as self-excusing) to give you a sense of hope on Christmas Day that you can change things that you control (led by your attitude); it just doesn’t have to be calendar dictated.
As for the calendar, it can provide great inspiration for getting things done. We often keep track of due dates, appointments, meetings, and such; calendars, if you’re comfortable utilizing them, can help ensure that you get started. I’m not a huge adherent of working out regularly. But if I mark “WALK!” on my calendar for 5:45pm twice a week, then darn it, I’ll walk! And I’ll feel good while looking up at awe-inspiring mountains sans a heinous cell phone, thus boosting my physical, spiritual, and mental well-being. After all, who am I to argue with someone so brilliant as to have placed this healthy mandate on my must-follow calendar?!
Speaking of more things not needing a calendar, the foodstuffs we crave at this time of year taste great at other times of year. I’ve researched. Turkey, eggnog, sashimi, mince pies, fruitcakes (well, maybe skip that one), mashed potatoes, and even grandma’s homemade stuffing taste great in March and August. And while tradition and memories are key ingredients in when and why we eat these items, the taste and positive memories associated with partaking of said items need not be restricted to a five-week period before year end.
Beyond food, remember that gifting, social gatherings, thankfulness, forgiveness, joy, sharing, giving, singing, decorating, and many other traditions can be embraced year-round or even sporadically throughout the other 11-months of the year. Yeh, I’ve harped on this topic before, as we really do have the capacity to do/show these things more often. So Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good rite.
Think about it…