A New Year Brings A Fresh Start

It's the first week of January. It's not just a new month, it's a new year. You've undoubtedly heard people already talking about their goals and New Year's resolutions. People will want to quit smoking, lose the same dreaded 5 or 10 pounds, get that new job, further their relationships, put some money in the bank, or perhaps strengthen their faith journey. But what if the new year wasn't just about what you want to be doing or where you want to be? What if it could be more about how you want to feel at the end of 2016 or how you want to be thinking? This time next year what do you want to be thankful for? What do you want to have been your most shining moment of the year?

I ended my 2015 by beginning a new, healthier lifestyle. I'm already on my way by laying the groundwork. I'm not where I want to be quite yet, but I am making strides and heading in the right direction. My first goal will be to stay focused and to stay on the path that I've already chosen.

My second agenda item (I hate setting too many goals, lol) will be to start listening more to myself. Every year I seem to hear the same little voice in my head that always repeats itself, 'don't forget to make more time for yourself', 'simplify your life', 'slow down a bit', 'try living more for today' ... You'd think I'd recognize the voice by now and pay more attention to it, but I suppose I'm a creature of habit. I'm great at talking, but not always at listening. It's okay - I can admit my shortcomings. It's how I grow.

Setting our entire next year in motion clearly isn't simple enough (or neat enough) to fit in the tidy perimeters of just one blog post. Our goals will change, as will our desires and aspirations. Our momentum will be like the speed of a roller coaster; it will go up and it will come back down as it twists and turns and leaves us dizzy, but exhilarated. In spite of our good intentions, our year ahead is a mystery at best. We'll be able to predict the outcome about as good as the weathermen predict the first snowfall (and I'm not bashing the profession of meteorology). I am merely suggesting that life can be unpredictable at times.

So go ahead and make some goals. Think about where you'd like to see yourself, but be open to change and spontaneity. It can make for a more interesting and eventful ride.

What A Difference A Year Makes

Today I had one of those 'light bulb' moments, the kind that make you sit back and say, "Wow, I never thought of that before." I was speaking with a parent who was trying to make a difficult decision about which youth group at church to enroll her child in. Her child is the right age for one group, but has friends that are in a younger group. Her child was nervous and thought they might feel more comfortable in the one where they already knew some people. I told her I understood how difficult of a decision it was. I shared a situation with her that I'd experienced 13 years ago.

My daughter was then in preschool. Her teacher was required to give all of the students the Giselle test. I'm not sure if that is something that is still used today or not. Basically the test helped the teacher evaluate the student's skills and readiness to move up into kindergarten. I remember her telling me that my daughter placed high in every single category except for one. She had a high level of separation issues (she never wanted me out of her sight ...lol). The teacher was concerned with her moving up into kindergarten because she was on the very young end of the age scale. So I did what every concerned parent would do - I asked questions like 'how many days a week would pre-kindergarten meet if I were to hold her back' and 'how many hours would she be gone in a day'. The teacher said, "Well, actually it's not any different. She'd go to school 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday." I stopped and thought about it and had a sort of light bulb moment. Wait ... let me get this straight. Her teacher was worried that my daughter couldn't handle being away from me 5 days a week, 3 hours a day for kindergarten BUT would be better placed if she went to pre-kindergarten 5 days a week, 3 hours a day? I went with my gut instinct and placed my daughter in kindergarten. Either way she was going to have to get used to me not being there. The parent laughed and said she'd think some more about her decision.

After I hung up the phone I had today's light bulb moment. My daughter is currently a new college freshman studying music education and pursuing her passions and dreams. But what would have happened if I'd held her back one year? Her entire plan for her future might have been different. My daughter started playing a musical instrument through her school when she was in the 4th grade. Ironically the year after she left her elementary school the district cut the strings program. She was in the LAST class to have it offered to them. In junior high she was in the LAST orchestra class before it was cut. In high school she was in the LAST orchestra class before it too was cut. It finally happened. There is no more orchestra or strings program of any kind in any grade in our school district. What a difference one year could have made for her. What would her college major look like now if things had happened differently? I have to believe she was meant to be in the LAST class. She was meant to withstand the challenges that faced her. She was meant to persevere. So now that she's living in her college dorm and attending all her music classes and playing in the university's chamber orchestra, who's having to adjust to the separation issues? Not her ... lol, but don't worry ... I'm doing much better this week than last week.

What was the last big decision you had to make? How did things turn out in the long run?