Like many, I awoke to this day determined to forge a new future and reasonably so. Today is the day when countless people will set new goals and make resolutions, which is great.  However, in order to do so, many people begin by expressing dissatisfaction with themselves and with others.  They focus on what they did not accomplish during the past year and/or how others failed them in their expectations.  I do not want to do that.   It is always a good idea to reflect with the intention to learn and grow, but the act of reflecting in order to find fault and place blame can be both damaging and depressing.

Some have a tendency to attempt to dismiss the past and begin completely anew as if one can draw a finite line in the sand and immediately become a new person.  The past is real and cannot be erased, and change is a process – not immediate.  Additionally, this type of annual stopping and starting seems jarring and somewhat dismissive of all that has transpired in one’s life to date.  It seems that one could be repeatedly starting over again and never truly bringing anything into fruition.  A cycle of starting and stopping just doesn’t seem productive to me.  I don’t want to do that either. So, what do I want to do?

I want to build. I want to reflect upon my experiences and determine the transferability of what I have learned.  I want to discover the best ways to apply my past experiences to future endeavors.  I refuse to believe that any thing that I have gone through, experienced, and/or learned has been for naught.  Surely, there are some great “take aways,” and I want to build upon them. I am thankful for the skills, knowledge, and wisdom I acquired, and I commit to using them as I continue to grow.

Yes, I will build.  I will transition into the New Year with gratitude, optimism, manageable goals, and realistic expectations.  I will use my lived experiences to strengthen my physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual foundations.  I will not get better by throwing away or dismissing my experiences; I will get better by learning from them.  They are my building blocks; they are my way forward.

Happy New Year!  Now, go build the life you want to live.