And so christmas is over, the new presents integrated into our wardrobes, toy boxes, cupboards, the final scraps of that magnificent turkey finished after eating endless sandwiches for days.
And so what next……well New Years as it is every year.
And for me each year it brings the same sense of dread, which may seem weird or familiar to you. I always slip into feeling very reflective and self-analytical as we approach the new year. Because then everything begins again. It like sitting on the clock hand facing 6 and being jolted right back up to 12 ready to start again.
“Today is the first blank page of a 365 page book so make it a good’un”
This feeling of pressure to keep this new year perfect and pristine, it’s not yet spoilt by our mistakes, by arguments or crying, failure or insecurity this year has the potential to be anything….that is until you enter it and most likely your usual routine kicks in.
I always feel the need to look at my year just past, what was good and what was bad, but more importantly what do I want next year to be like. What things am I determined never to do again and what things am I determined to make happen. In an essence how can I make sure that next year is better than this one, that I keep on moving forward and growing that next year is not a repeat of this year, or worse a back track.
It’s not the typical cliche feeling of “New year new me” I think after years of writing endless unachievable resolutions it finally dawned on me that just because after midnight on December the 31st you are in a new year it does by no means mean that you are suddenly a new you. A difference in time can enable many things but not that.
And so resolution writing 101…..
It cannot be unachievable or unreachable, or cliche. Most years I’ve put “get fit” and targeted some ‘ideals’. Last year I had completely forgotten to write any resolutions until sat on a bus on december the 31st. And so I really only made one….
“1) Be fearless….essentially be yes man just say yes to every opportunity that comes your way”
And I really did try… sure I didn’t say yes to everything because not everything is an opportunity you should take! But when I look back at my year I just think…..woah…that was mental, out of the blue. A string of pretty spontaneous decisions led to bigger and better things so to speak, and being a bit fearless helped me and that’s something I want to take on with me into 2014.
This year I have yet to set my resolutions. But when I do they won’t be ones that aim to create a ‘new me’ because I know that is un-plausible. Ones that help me to achieve bigger things.
And of course as we look to the new year the team are also looking to bigger things. 2 Big campaigns that we are excited to be working on, running fundraising events. And also saying a temporary goodbye to our team member Hannah as she embarks on her gap year trip to Tanzania for 3 months (On that subject whilst we greatly appreciate your support for us we want to support her in this so if any of you would like to go over to her just giving page herehttp://www.justgiving.com/hannahellis we would greatly appreciate it!!)
Have you reflected back on 2013?
What do you want for 2014?
What will you do to make it happen?
And wherever you are in the world tomorrow, have a very Happy New Year
ANDYS BEAT! 