The Winter Solstice is upon us. The darkest days of the year are about to lighten again. We join together to celebrate the ending of one year and the beginning of the next. It’s a time of impending rebirth. Even in these Arctic blasts of winter, there is the scent of Spring. In a time of shared hardship, there is the aura of hope. We are at the turning point of the year, the symbolic moment of starting over.
How to really start over? Or perhaps the question is, Can I really start over if I simply continue doing the same things in the same way that I’ve been doing them?
Most of us spend most of our time thinking the same thoughts, feeling the same feelings, and reacting with the same reactions, over and over, day in and day out, year in and year out. We live our lives in “Review,” replaying our thoughts and feelings out of habit rather than creating new thoughts and experiencing new feelings by reacting to events with a spontaneous and experimental approach to life.
Setting goals for the coming year is all well and good but our resolutions tend to reflect our desire to change outer habits or achieve outer objectives. As an alternative, “Previewing” the year-to-come means envisioning the inner qualities we are going to develop and enjoy–qualities that will make us more adaptable, more successful, and happier.
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