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)
