2009

It is a new year and what does it mean? Not as much as the dreamers would like to think.

The New Year is something we build up in our heads as a clean slate, a chance to start over fresh, make resolutions, keep promises to ourselves that we could never keep in the past. But why? Does the year on our calendar really hold any special significance to any of us? Sure we think back to the YEAR we were born, the YEAR we graduated from school, the YEAR we got married. But why classify the events in our life like files in a filing cabinet. "Okay, 2008 was cool. Now it's over, done, let's close it up and move into 2009". Life isn't that simple, we just like to think it is.

Every action of the past is what creates the present. We don't really get second chances or clean slates. We just grow. In my opinion, people are limiting themselves by thinking they can only make resolutions when the year changes. Why not celebrate every new month, week, day, hour? People would be more satisfied with their lives if each new day they made resolutions. "You know, I feel exhausted and fat. I should hit the gym!" Resolution is reducing something into a simpler form, getting rid of what you don't need, and creating a solution to a problem. 1 resolution for 1 year (aka 365 days, 8,760 hours) seems pretty pathetic to me. 365 resolutions to 365 days, now that's some growth! Be proactive, don't sit there, JUST DO IT!

I hate to be a pessimist or sound like Negative Nancy over here, but I feel like people are lying to themselves. Life doesn't just change over night because the year on the calendar has changed. It takes baby steps, growth, and dedication to be where you want to be. Looking back on past years, or the past in general, is something we all do. It is fascinating to see where we've been, what we've done, and how it brings us to where we are now. We can all dream, but come on, be realistic.