I love New Years- it’s actually my very favourite holiday of the year. Not because of the parties, (I never attend), or the fireworks (those can be tricky to handle sometimes), or the boozy drinks (I don’t drink)- but because of how happy and hopeful and glow-y people get, delighted with the prospect of a whole year up ahead of them and a fresh start, dusting off aspirational goals and hyping themselves up into following through: where everyone is anticipatory and determined and cheerful, because congratulations, we made it another year!
I like the resolutions bit a whole lot. I tend to lowball myself on the goals, to help encourage myself to follow through on them and then some- it’s a lot less intimidating to dive right in if it feels manageable. I love hearing what other people are planning too! For me, the goals are less of a strict ‘do-or-die’ and more of an opportunity to examine what might be important to me on a personal level, and what I’d like to generally encourage in my life in the year ahead, while allowing for the flexibility you have to carry when life is so unpredictable.
I also have a little ritual for New Years- every year, I’ll listen to ‘This Year’ by The Mountain Goats in such a way that it’ll wrap up right as midnight strikes. It’s sort of a personal gritty-hopeful anthem to help set the tone for the year ahead.
Anyways- what’re your resolutions this year? Do you set any at all? What do you think of the practice, either way? Mine are as follows:
- I’d like to release at least one interactive fiction game this year.
- I’d like to draw a completed piece I’m happy with at least once every three months.
- I’d like to foster a space for gratitude journalling in my life on a weekly basis.