“And now let us welcome the New Year Full of things that have never been.”–Rainer Marie Rilke and what are you prepared to do?

Good morning! As the holiday festivities come to an end and we begin taking down trees, packing decorations, and returning to our daily lives, pack carefully. While wrapping glass ornaments and memories of another year now past, hold onto the wonder of the holiday season and the gift of opportunity a New Year brings.

The New Year has always been one of my favorite holidays. Something about a fresh palette of days fills me with a childlike joy usually reserved for young children on Christmas Eve.

I have learned that even in the darkest times, life is always magical. Although my years, like yours, are a compilation of the good, the not-so-good, the magical, and the dark, I know each day holds gifts and opportunities. The New Year reminds me that each day can be a new beginning, each hour a fresh start.

Time does not stand in our way–we do. For ages we did not have clocks or calendars directing our actions. Today we find people hunt for time, need more of it, or excuse their inactions because of it. Yet humans created time. In 700 BC, the Romans introduced the first calendar. The calendar was not intended to trap and constrain, but to act as a tool for guiding our days. If humans created time, then humans can also manage it.

We can set a new resolution every midnight: we can decide to greet each day with hope and opportunity. Nothing stops us from experiencing childlike wonder every day except our own perceptions. We can change our perceptions and change our lives.

Your Turn:
Spend a moment or two reflecting on these two questions: what could you possibly lose by treating each day as a gift with childlike wonder? What might you gain?

Today’s Affirmation:
This year I will not stand in my way. Today and every day I take control and realize true joy in my life.

Reflection Questions:
When in your life have you prevented progress by waiting for a better day or better time to move ahead?

How might this year be different if you accepted that each day is the better day and the perfect time for change?