What If Every Day is New Year’s Day?

I went for a bike ride on January 1st. I did a lot of training on my bicycle last year, and “fell off the wagon” during the holidays. When a group of friends said they were going for a ride on the first sunny day we’ve had in a couple of weeks, coupled with my desire to get exercising regularly again, I was both a hesitant (due to my de-conditioning) yet excited “yes!”.

It felt good to be moving outside again. I was in a good mood, and it felt like a great way to start the year.

Was this my “New Year’s Resolution”?

Yes and no. I didn’t declare it as such, and yet somewhere in my mind, I knew it was part of a goal I have in the new year, reluctantly mentioned to others (in full honesty, that’s so I wasn’t fully committing).

My typical experience (because I’ve done this “on again, off again” relationship with my bike many times) is that I “finally” ride my bike and curse myself for ever stopping my momentum.

“What do you mean I’m getting tired already?”

“You call THAT a hill?”

“Oh, if only I kept riding, I’d be SO much farther ahead than where I am now!”

“I hate starting over!”

But this was New Year’s Day! It’s a world of new beginnings! So, I pushed that self-talk aside, and ENJOYED the ride.

It wasn’t just me. This was a day of possibilities for everyone.

As I ride, I will occasionally give a head nod or wave to someone I pass by on the sidewalk, or another rider, or someone in a passing car. I may call out “g’mornin” as I go by. People ignore me, or may smile or wave back, or occasionally repeat my good morning call.

On this day? “Happy New Year!” from a group that was talking amongst themselves, and stopped and called out to our group just as we got close. “Have a great day!” from another. Almost without exception, everyone acknowledged us with enthusiasm. Everyone was smiling. Many were walking their dogs (yes, I routinely squeal in delight when I see dogs), not with the obligatory “gotta walk the dog” walk or the “I’m on my earbuds and ignoring the world around me” walk. Even the dogs seemed extra bouncy and happy.

Was I projecting my own feelings about the New Year on others (especially when I project it to the dogs)?

Sure, to some degree I was seeing the best in everyone, because I was looking through my own “it’s a new day!” eyes. I was also the “space” or “energy” of joy and freedom and fun, and others can’t help but pick up on it. There’s also no denying that traditionally, the New Year is a shared time of renewal, new beginnings, and hope.  Go ahead and read the other 141,000 articles on the subject! (OK, I’m guessing, I gave up counting.)

All the experiences got me present to… what if EVERY day is New Year’s Day?

Now that’s silly! Is our calendar going to be one day long?

What if it was?

Many of you have heard the statistics – while they vary, some sources say that the number is upwards of 80% or more of new year’s resolutions fail at some point.

And if you have read those same articles, you know that making a resolution gives you a better chance of success than not creating one.

And if you’re like me, sometimes you even go off on a binge of “unwanted” behavior right before New Year’s because, “I’ll begin at the start of a new year”.

Why do we wait for a “special day”? What is so special about THAT day?

It’s a day that we have collectively, as a society, have deemed is “Start Newly Day” and so it makes the conversation easier to participate in with others.

What if EVERY DAY is a new day and the day to start something?

What if TODAY you share with someone your new endeavor?

What if TODAY is the day you take an action towards something you want?

By treating every day newly, we don’t wait to create what we want.

By treating every day newly, we aren’t stuck in what happened - or didn’t happen - in the past, and put all our efforts towards “fixing” what went wrong before.

I invite you to try this today – and no, if you are reading this in the afternoon or at night, don’t declare “tomorrow I’ll start….” That’s just more of it! This is really about TODAY.

I extend an invitation… if one of those actions is to find someone who will…

-  help you discover what it is you want to act on…

-  support you in being accountable for what you say and do…

-  guide you to discover the obstacles that have held you back from sticking with what you started…

Please reach out for a conversation! I would be honored to be the first “new” action you take towards having a fuller life than you ever imagined possible.