New Beginnings

Angie Ripple

In 2022 I didn’t make any resolutions. I figured surviving a pandemic was resolute enough. To be completely honest, I’m terrible at making resolutions, and I’ve never been any good at keeping them, so I took a different approach last year. I looked at the beginning of each month as a new beginning, an opportunity, and a chance to make new goals and set intentions that would make my month (year) better. Keeping a New Year’s resolution seems unattainable to me, but looking at each new month as an opportunity isn’t difficult for me at all; it’s exciting and motivating, and I need both of those things in my life.

In addition to seeing each month as an opportunity to begin again (and start over if necessary), I also like to choose a word that can help guide me through a new year. Choosing one word and focusing on it can make all the difference, as well as filling in for the elusive resolution. My personal word for 2023 is JOY. I will be looking for joy in everything this year, helping others experience joy, and taking every opportunity to create joy for myself and my family. It probably could be categorized as a resolution, but I needed the re-frame in order to accept it, and really engage with it. ‘Word of the year’ is somehow a lot easier for me to accept and, ultimately, achieve.

It’s now January; maybe you’ve tossed around a couple of resolution ideas for yourself while choosing your dessert at a holiday party, or cross-country skiing along a quiet path, while you were sitting in traffic, or wherever you do your best thinking. Maybe you’ll stick with it, or maybe you’ll fail miserably. Maybe you should just try my method of choosing a word to guide you and using each month as a chance to be better, try something new, or make progress toward a big goal. The best part is that you get to choose your own adventure.

Snow is falling steadily outside my window, which it will continue to do for more than a few more months this year. In the silence, I choose to enjoy it and appreciate its ability to highlight peace, tranquility, and beauty. My wish for you this year is that you find more times of peaceful reflection and JOY.

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