The countdown to the New Year began well ahead of time for most of us. We’ve all been planning to make a fresh new start, get into a fitness routine, drop that baggage, lose weight, get rid of old habits and change old ways of doing things. In short, we’ve all been looking at this time to start everything afresh. Begin a new chapter. When the New Year finally arrived, we were happy to bid adieu to the old and promptly, came out our New Year Resolutions.
Many of us eagerly accept it as a Second Chance to get things right – things that didn’t quite go as planned over the past year. Yes, we’ve all been there — no one can deny having made those long lists for the umpteenth time. And, as we all know, lists that have been forgotten as easily and quickly even before the first few weeks of the year got over.
What’s interesting is that for some reason, we all seem to wait for a certain time of the year to make these new changes, although it needn’t be this way. Because, whenever we start is a good time, as the ‘now’ is always new. At any given point in time. The truth is, we’ve never been here before this moment or will be, after again, as we are now. This is the moment, totally unlike our ‘future’, which is just a concept in our minds. What is concrete is the ‘now‘ and the ‘here‘. So, why not set out to live life in these everyday little moments that come to us unexpectedly?
We don’t know what life holds for us even in the next second. And, yet, we spend hours simply worrying about a time that does not even exist, always at the cost of wasting what we do have, right now.
My resolve this year is to live more fully in the present and discover ways through which I could also help others do the same.
So, what are the things I’d do differently?
I’d like to be more accepting of people and situations, and not react mindlessly, especially when things are not going right. Perhaps I’d like to bring in more understanding and awareness of why things happen the way they do, which can help me accept things better.
I’d like to observe more. People. Actions. Nature. The world at large. Whatever comes my way. There’s so much to learn from everyone we meet and everything we see. I’d love to put that into my work, my art and writing and into some of my other projects that I’ve planned to start in the coming months.
I’d like to respond more authentically to people and issues and not hesitate to speak my mind about things that affect me. No matter what, I tend to empathize with the other person more often than not, which sometimes gets in the way of my own well-being.
I’d like to bring back the focus on positivity and building inner strength. Life has a way of throwing volleys at us that sap into our inner reserves, leaving us empty. I’m now learning to be more resilient and more focused on finding the positive outcomes from every knock and blow that comes my way. I did make a start on this last year, but now, I’d like to make it an inseparable part of me.
Last but not the least, I’d like to take things a little less seriously. Life is also meant to be enjoyed, and over the years, one has always placed duty above everything else, relegating fun and enjoyment to the background. It’s been a long time since I danced in the rain, or jumped in a puddle. What is it about being carefree and letting go of things which hold us back? There couldn’t be a better time when you think of doing just that. Now is the time.
After some deep soul-searching and long hard thinking, I’ve decided to do away with resolutions this time. I no longer wish to quantify my learnings from life nor look back to see how many mistakes I’ve made, something I’ve been routinely doing every year – in fact, all year through.
Today, I feel I’m ready to experience and understand that being fully alive is very important and that wakefulness is of prime concern to me right now. It is about being awake within the present moment so that I don’t miss the experience that is happening now. I’d rather we spend every second of our lives savouring the everyday moments, bringing back the simplicity in life, watching children play, watching the seasons change, soaking in the bliss of nature, giving in to the magic of an ephemeral sunset. What could be better than bringing a smile to someone’s face, giving a hand to someone in need, or even bringing in fresh flowers home; perhaps, a candlelight dinner with that special someone? Or spending a weekend with the kids on an outdoor activity? Ever wondered when was the last time we tried to cheer up someone who was feeling low or spiced up our lives to feel 21 again?
The cost of staying put is high but we stand to gain so much more by unleashing the zest for living in these everyday moments. So, what’s holding us back, then?
Quit hanging on to the handrails . . . Let go. Surrender. Go for the ride of your life. Do it every day.
~ Melody Beattie
I’m going to savour each minute as it comes – to be happy for no reason, to experience the joy of existence and the delight of life because this is what I have control of, in my present moment of wakefulness. I’ve known this for long but, actually ‘feeling’ it within myself is quite another thing. The sense of quiet fulfillment and contentment is what I’ve been hoping for, this year. This is my hope, wish and prayer for 2017!
What are some of the things that you’ve planned for this year? How do you wish to take it forward? As I always say, I’d be very happy if you share your thoughts, comments and feedback below.
Wishing you, my dear readers, a very happy, productive and fruitful year ahead.
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(Linking this to #mondaymusings and Alphabet Salad)
Ah! Living Fully will no doubt give you a true appreciation of the little bits of wonder we experience each day. All the best for a fulfilling year.
Thank you so much, Gail. I’m living life in these small and apparently insignificant moments to discover hidden joy. The power of living fully is unfolding new realisations every waking minute. Thank you for your warm wishes Gail. I wish you plenty of such wonderous moments in life too. 🙂
Sounds like a thoughtful way to approach the new year. All the very best to you in 2017!
Esha..all valid points and doable also if we try. Sometimes its more important to enjoy small moments in life and celebrate small achievements too. Making big resolutions and then not following anything is not done and it is not my way of doing things too. Happy new year and wish you a great 2017 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Deepa. I agree it makes much more sense to enjoy the everyday moments rather than make a long list of resolutions that never see the light of the day! Thanks you for your wishes. Happy New Year to you too 🙂
I loved your post and living fully is for all of us. Those pointers that you have shared is something I can read again and again to remind myself.
Personally, I do not make resolutions. I instead have those usual things every year that I keep working on every day. I believe that though the calendar year changes, somethings should not change. Like taking care of our health, doing what we love to do, focus on our development, fighting our fears and demons etc. This things will be important for me year after year so I keep a mini tab just to keep myself going. Like workout classes each month and then as time progresses, I work on them to improve or stay consistent. It’s not organized but works for me 🙂
Now is the time, I completely agree Esha. What’s the point in waiting for a perfect time to start! You said it eloquently. And I loved the points you mentioned. Good guidelines for all of us to follow. I think I will come back to this post sometime later in the year. 🙂
Oh, glad to hear you think so. I too will be visiting this a few months down the line again and then, again, later, to check how far I’m going with my goals. Some targets to chase, you know 😀
Those are some really good intentions you’ve got down for 2017. Living fully involves a lot and you’ve nailed down the behaviours quite explicitly. Happy New Year and hope 2017 is everything you want it to be.
Thanks a lot, Sanchie. Yes, I’ve been thinking long and hard and wanted to keep my goals small and achievable. Must revisit again, to check my progress, perhaps later in the year. Thanks for your wishes and wishing you a Happy New Year too 🙂
Very nicely written di
Thank you so much, Tina. 🙂
Aah…all the things you highlighted – not reacting mindlessly, responding more authentically, observing more, not take everything too seriously, building inner strength – I need all these! In fact, I think we all need to work more on these. Life – individual and collective – can be so much more harmonious if we work on these aspects. Thank you for this reminder, Esha. May your new year be rewarding and fulfilling.
Thank you Beloo. Just wrote what came to me as I looked within. You know we think of scores of things through the whole year, things that leave us happy and disgruntled alike. I’ve never looked at life in this way before. As the years come and go I realise how little time is left for me to savour life and these precious moments with near and dear ones, with friends and people we encounter in our every day lives. So glad that you found these helpful. I wish you a very Happy and fulfilling year ahead, Beloo. May everything you hope for, come to you in 2017 and keep you happy.
Beautiful thoughts for the New year Esha, but I guess being the wonderful person that you are, I only expect that from you. Living each moment, and doing what one dreams of right away, is how it should be. I loved reading your plans for the year ahead and I am sure you will be able to strike out all of them from your to-do list by the end of the year! Cheers and best wishes for 2017.
Thank you so much, Kala. I too hope that things fall in place as intended. Life always has a different set of plans with us, unbeknownst to us and we think we are planning everything. Nonetheless, as a work in progress, anything good that comes out of it is a bonus. Wishing you a very Happy and productive year ahead too! Let your creative juices continue to inspire us all and do keep those fabulous posts coming. Happy 2017! 🙂
I agree, we are so much into procrastination throughout the year. It’s only when the new year sets in that we think about making resolutions. Wish you all the best for 2017. I hope it turns out the way you wanted it.
Absolutely, vinodinii. Thanks so very much for your wishes. Wishing you too a very Happy and Productive New Year ahead. See you again at Soul Talk.
Flowing with the flow is also my idea for this year. No resolutions and no plans. I have been wanting to lose my weight for the past many years and so I undertook constructive steps in Dec only thinking why to wait for the new year to start because Now is new. Everybody is asking me these days about my career plans for 2017 since dhruv will be starting full time school June onwards and I tell them I have no plans. I have worked very hard in the past 5 years with Dhruv never getting adequate time for myself so this year i am just going to put my legs up & hair down relax and bask in the glory of unending me time. What a bliss! 🙂
That’s a great plan, Anamika…going with the flow! I wish you every success with your goals and targets for the year 2017. I can totally understand about how badly you are in need of ‘me-time’. I was no different either when Arjyo was about to start full-time school. Take it easy, and relax. We’ve all spent far too many years of our lives, trying to please people and following their dictats. So, me-time it is for now…I hope you make the most of it. 🙂
Lovely thoughts Esha. Wish you a happy New Year and hope you are living in the moment.
Thank you so much, Lata. Your wishes mean a lot at a time when I’m making a transition into a happier space than I earlier was.
Beautifully said, Esha. Now is the new and we can start whenever we want. But somehow we keep waiting for the new year. Well, I like the things you have planned for yourself this year. Some of the things, I could actually do with. For me, this year I want to prioritise things. For too long I have placed some things at the back burner and I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to focus on the long term and my heart’s true desires. Let’s see how that goes.
happy new year to you and yours once again 🙂
Thanks, Nabanita. As you said, I guess most of these are things that matter a lot to us and yet, for some reason, we allow too many unnecessary things to come in the way of our dreams. Trust me, there’s never a better time than now. So, just do it, and don’t let precious time flow by.I do wish 2017 brings you plenty of cherished moments with Little M and the family as well as proud moments at work that see you at your happiest and best. I’m certainly looking to your posts for inspiration, every now and then 🙂