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Resolutions
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Resolutions
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by Beth Penny
The holidays are over; now what? Dark mornings, earlier evenings, gray days. The winter blues have set in. Time for a new start? Why do we set January as a time for a fresh beginning?
Over 4,000 years ago the ancient Babylonians were the first to have celebrated the “New Year.” However, the Babylonian new year was in March as the crops were planted. The people reaffirmed their loyalties to the king and their gods and made promises to pay their debts and return borrowed items. In turn they expected the gods to provide a bountiful harvest. Later around 46 BC, Julius Caesar moved the “New Year” to January. January, named for Janus, paid homage to the god of arches and doorways. Janus symbolically looked backwards into the prior year and forward into the upcoming year. The Romans made promises of good behavior for the upcoming year to Janus. Thus began our custom of New Year’s resolutions.
Fast forward to 2022. Research shows that between 38 and 48 percent of adults between 18 and 35 make New Year’s resolutions. Forty-eight percent of those resolutions are health-related. Yet, only eight to nine percent of people report actually keeping their resolutions. So, where does that leave the 92 percent that did not keep their promises? Feelings of failure, inadequacy, and depression can make the long, cold, and dark winters seem that much more somber.
I stopped making resolutions years ago when I realized I was only setting myself up for failure with unattainable expectations. Cue more of the winter doldrums. Here’s how I look at it. Small goals are attainable. When a child is learning to walk, those shaky, wobbly, teetering first steps have to come before training for a marathon. Players don’t go straight to the NFL without playing peewee ball. We can’t win a gold medal in swimming without first learning 38 // January 2023
how to hold our breath. The list could go on and on. Reach for small goals and feel successes rather than failures.
Here is my goal: to be the best me I can be. I don’t have to, want to, or even try to be better than anyone else. My goal is to be better than I was yesterday. Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. Strength comes from doing the things you thought you couldn’t. That feeling of accomplishment starts with reaching the small goals that you set for yourself.
While he was in prison Paul wrote his letters to the church at Philippi to thank them and encourage them to
continue in their Christian walk. He gives encouragement in Chapter 3 Verses 13 and 14 by saying, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Reading Paul’s words reminds us that our goal isn’t accomplished here in life. Daily we keep working towards the small steps that lead us to become our best selves.
About The Author Beth Penny has taught English at Model High School since 1997. There she is also the Yearbook adviser and the Special Education Department Chair. She and her husband, Chad, have four children.
Happy New Year 2023 from the VIC Vascular Team!
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