By Lori Welch Brown

Wow—hard to believe I’m breaking out another new calendar with y’all. Who would have known I’d still be here writing about whatever enters my (now graying) little head twenty-five odd years later. If you’ve been reading this column even for a minute, you know what an absolute freak I am about celebrating the New Year. And yes—I can still say ‘freak’ as long as I’m referring to myself.

I love January and not because I’m a sadist and enjoy bleak, cold dreary days. Far from it. I love it because of the promise it brings—a blank slate. We get a do over. We get an opportunity to recharge, reset, and refresh.

All those ways you disappointed yourself last year? Shrug it off because you get another shot! Look—no one is looking for perfection (except maybe us Virgos), but still. You get another chance at setting impossible-to-reach goals and disappointing yourself all over again! Jump on the shame train, kids and let’s get ready to head out on another trek to self-flagellation with our final destination—Mt. Regret.

Kidding!

Okay—well, maybe there is a little truth buried in there somewhere. But those are December feelings—not January ones. The trick is to leave all that behind. Pack it away and move forward into a season of hope and new beginnings. Like many people, I’ve grappled with questions of religion and faith, but of this I am 1000% certain. We all get second (and third and fourth…) chances. As long as we are breathing, we get do overs. Maybe not out on the field with the clock ticking, but in our own aspirations and sense of betterment.

Trust me—I’ve tried and failed at a million things over the years. I’ve been successful at a handful. But I keep trying. I keep writing down the dreams and goals. I keep logging the progress and acknowledging the slip ups. I keep showing up at the laptop and the easel. I keep getting on the scale. I keep lacing up my shoes and hitting the pavement. I keep buying the shiny new journals and planners. In other words, I keep showing up. And that’s all anyone can really ask of you—and all you can ask of yourself.

Keep showing up. Keep doing the thing.

There are no promises. There are no guarantees. But there are pretty new calendars, journals, pens, and highlighters beckoning. And stickers. And they are delightful and inspiring. Maybe it’s silly, but picking up a nice pen and writing down my hopes and dreams in a new planner motivates me. And we haven’t even broached the subject of vision boards yet—I am swooning just thinking of breaking out those scissors and magazines. Grab the glue stick and let’s go crazy.

Seriously—January is a time to dream big. Put your limitations aside and just envision what you want the coming year to look like. Do you want it to be peaceful and drama free? Full of adventure? Do you see yourself surrounded by people or reveling in solitude? Do you see yourself mending a fractured relationship or perhaps closing the door on a relationship that feels too one-sided? This is the time to shine the light on yourself and what makes your heart sing.

Of course, just because you dream it doesn’t mean it instantly appears. To my knowledge, there is no magic Genie—although Melissa McCarthy plays a comically genius one in the movie of the same name. But, I have found that if you write down your dreams/goals/aspirations, if you create the ‘vision,’ it sure brings it a lot closer. You still have to do the work. You still have to break up with the toxic friend. You still have to set the boundaries with the needy co-worker. You still have to show up at Results and pump the iron. But at least you know where to start and where to focus your energy.

So, here’s what I’m doing—I’m breaking out my new calendars. I have two—no real strategy there. I just couldn’t decide which one I wanted so I purchased both. I’ll use one for monthly plotting and planning (it’s larger) and I’ll use the other one to keep with me. I’ll capture important dates in both. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc. In the smaller one, I’ll track daily appointments, to do items, etc. Things that take me away from the house, but also things I need to accomplish and/or deadlines. I use a bullet journal for a deeper dive into daily activities that relate to goals/aspirations. Clearly, I’m an analog girl. And a color girl—rest assured items will be color coded.

And if you’re inspired, I’m facilitating a Vision Board workshop on Saturday, January 10 from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm at The Loft Gallery in Occoquan. Check out my Instagram @loriwelchbrownart for details.

However you decide to approach the new year, I hope you do it with an emphasis on self-compassion, self-care, and new beginnings.

Happy New Year, y’all!

About the Author: Lori is a local writer, painter and pet lover who loves to share her experiences and expertise with our readers. She has been penning a column for the OTC for over 25 years. Please follow Lori online on Medium for more missives like this.