As I write this, January 1, 2025 is only 10 hours old. We are brimming with optimism, plans, and cheer.
But what of January 10? Or the rest of the year, for that matter?
Here’s a hack: celebrate each day as if it were New Year’s day!
Yes, you read that correctly. Think about it: each morning is the first of the next 365 days of your life. That makes each day a New Year’s day!
If you were to visit my personal desk, you’d see the calendar (photo) permanently set on January 1st. Psychologically, that triggers me to:
1. Continue the sense of optimism for the rest of the day. For some reason, when the clock strikes 12 at New Year’s Eve, we have this giddy expectation that the future will be better and brighter.
Mr. Spock may question the rationality, but that’s the way we are. We want to believe that the best is yet to come. But why limit that on January 1st? Why not have that can-do mindset even if (when?) the inevitable challenges set in?
2. Connect with family. I heard some celebrities expressing their new year’s resolution of spending more time with family. That’s good, but if it’s just that, don’t be surprised when 2025 ends and we regretted not keeping that promise.
The solution is to “calenderize” it. Take out your planner and plug in dates when you will do just that: visit your folks, have lunch or dinner together, or do on a road trip with siblings and cousins alike. If we enjoyed the holiday due to the family bonding, why not spread out the good vibes until the next Christmas?
3. Create a new life plan. Did I say new year’s resolutions? Each end-year I would map out what I’d like to accomplish in the following year, such as spirituality, self-development, business, relationships and so on. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
So don’t go for resolutions that you solemnly vow on January 1st only to abandon by January 8th. Boil them into aspirational goals, process goals, and outcome goals. Example:
Aspirational goal: get in better shape
Process goal: eat healthier
Outcome goals: include vegetables in at least 15 out of 21 main meals per week (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
So what are we waiting for? Cheers to your next 365 days!
January 1, 2025
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