Resolve.

“New Year, new me”.

I’m going to stop you right there and call BULLSHIT. For the majority of my years on this planet, this resolution was a requirement. Every year started with a new workout program. A new diet. A new haircut. I remember, at the start of each school year, going as far as to reinvent my handwriting for assignments or how I would sign my name. Was I to be Elizabeth, Liz or Lizzie this year? Really, each year I tried to come up with an entirely new edition of myself. Wardrobe, friends, after school activities, all to be modified and perfected.

January 1st of each calendar, people worldwide have been called to assess their actions, their appearance, jobs, friends, spirituality and passions and swap them for new, more productive versions. While I have no qualms with wanting to better oneself, I have to ask why we must have a global “Start Time” to make our lives better?

Can we not give ourselves permission to use every day as a chance to make things better in our lives? Perhaps a daily, or weekly assessment of the ties that bind would be enough to change the course of our year? I am realizing that I don’t need an excuse to purge a toxic person from my life. I don’t need a calendar date to dictate the start time of self care or health management. I think most people would agree that all of their bad habits are apparent on any given day of the year. Why should we wait until December to contemplate setting ourselves free from self sabotage?

On the other hand, who says we need to change anything? I was asked the other day what my resolutions were. I replied, “I don’t really have any.”. I was met with a look of utter disbelief. As I thought about viable options, I realized that there isn’t any particular thing I am “resolving” to do. Sure, I have MANY goals that I am working towards, but I am kind of over the pressure of writing something on the wall to be accomplished. And I am CERTAINLY over the disappointment of looking back over the course of 365 days and coming to the conclusion that I am trash because failed to do so. Women, especially, take these resolutions to heart. I don’t have enough bodily digits to count how many years my mother and I resolved to lose weight. Because the scale stays steady, does that mean we had a bad year? Bills were paid. Births were celebrated. Weddings enjoyed. Graduations attended. Bodies were clothed. Mouths were filled. But I “failed” my year because I didn’t satisfy what I resolved to do? No thanks.

I guess you could say that I have come to the conclusion that if one must resolve to do anything, that it should be to make every day an opportunity to make positive efforts for change. Or even to stay the same. Each day we can throw away the bad stuff, but pleeease, keep the good stuff! If you wake up each morning, that means, in my opinion, that the good outweighs the bad. You must be doing something right. The world doesn’t need a NEW me. It just asks for a BETTER me, whatever that may be. So look at the calendar. It’s January 4th and it’s not to late to asses, to improve. So take today, and February 17th, and June 29th, and November 10th to make your strides to your true YOU. It’s easier said than done, but I shall try my best to wake up each morning and say to myself, “Happy New Day!”.

Hell, I may even look into confetti and a glass of champagne for my nightstand.