There’s Not Just One New Year’s Day

Who says Jan. 1 is the start of the New Year? I’m no historian, but as far as I can make out Jan. 1 was chosen more or less at random Julius Caesar, when he decided the Roman calendar needed a little updating, back in 45 BC.

The year never feels particularly “New” to me on the first of January, but it does feel as if the year is turning in the fall, when crops are being harvested. That’s when it’s time to celebrate the Jewish New Year, which gives me another opportunity to consider my New Year’s intentions and reflections.

But perhaps if I lived in an Asian country I’d feel ready to begin anew in February, when the Chinese New Year is celebrated.

Rather than debate the merits of the various options for a New Year’s celebration, I choose to honor as many as I can in order to support my New Year’s intentions, and I invite you to consider doing the same.

Here’s how:

• On Jan. 1 set your intentions for the coming year.
• During the period between Jan. 1 and Feb. 8 (the Chinese New Year) reflect on the year that just passed, and visualize what you want to move toward in the year to come.
• At the start of the Jewish New Year, which usually falls in September or early October, renew the intentions that you set on Jan. 1. The Jewish New Year is also a time to seek forgiveness for any wrongs you’ve committed, so you might also take this time to forgive yourself for ways you’ve fallen short of living up to your New Year’s intentions. Then gently encourage yourself to try, try again.

No need to stop here…learn about New Year’s celebrations and traditions in other cultures, and see if you find inspiration for supporting your own quest to renew yourself again and again, all year long.

I am wishing you a Joy-Filled New Year. May you Renew, Refresh, and Recommit to being the best you can be.

ZZzzZZzzZZ

Here at AllTheSnoozeThat’sFitToPrint we’re resolving to do New Year’s Resolutions differently. Today’s post is the final installment in a week-long series on mindful ways of creating New Year’s Resolutions that work.

You can read the first post when you click here. Then just follow along.

And now for a word from our sponsor:

Bring more JOY into your life in the New Year. My book “Joy in Every Moment” helps lead the way!