Many see New Year’s as a “beginning event,” marked by a plan to start over again. With our resolutions that we promised ourselves, and our hopes we project out into the universe, the new year shines brightly with all its possibility. 

I know for myself, resolutions never lasted beyond January, and sometimes not even into the whole month. At this time of year I try to remember that new beginnings do not need to be limited to the new year, or to January or to resolutions made. 

New beginnings are just a promise to oneself of making a change. One can have a new beginning at any time, any day, any month, any year and sometimes more than one within the year. Sometimes a new beginning comes from having completed a phase of life, like finishing school, getting a new job, moving into a new home. When one thing ends, something new begins, allowing one to be open to all the possibilities of another phase in life. 

Making the choice to start anew has its own energy, its own promise. That forward momentum of something new can pull you toward a chosen direction. 

Once the journey has begun, try to remember that there may be unexpected turns and twists to the path. To endure the unexpected, we can seek the lessons that the twists and turns present, and wait for the right moment to burst onward. Some may need to learn patience, to await the right moment for forward motion. Patience is one lesson I somehow need to learn over and over again! 

Starting new is a mental shift that allows us to clean the slate and approach life with fresh eyes. It is most powerful when we focus our attention on what we are choosing to renew, create or change. 

Many of us are uncomfortable around the transitions we face. When things go wrong, we are sometimes surprised to discover that we feel almost embarrassed. We sometimes will lose our focus on what we want to accomplish. I think this is because most of us are taught at a very young age that we are supposed to win. Facing challenges can be difficult and may be considered some sort of failure. But even winners lose something along the way in life. 

In humans, just as in nature, there are periods of obvious growth and periods of dormancy. When we learn to accept the cycles, we can learn how best to use our new beginning to move forward. We need to remember to leave enough room in the process of new beginnings to be kind to ourselves. It takes time to become accustomed to anything new, no matter how much we like it. If we don’t reach our new goals instantly, we need to take the time to reflect and understand the change and accept the process. Thus we become able to acknowledge the forward motion, knowing that with each choice we learn and grow. 

I recently read the phrase, “Life is a collage of beginnings and endings that run together like still-wet paint.” I was compelled to share it, as I see my life rolling out as an awning does, with the colors smeared from the messiness that is life. At times, it is hard to see where one event begins and others end, but those markings are there. Some events had better closure than others, some had lingering effects, and got muddy in their intermingling. With each year passing, the canvas can get ever muddier as dates, times, reasons get less important and foggy for each event. 

I always find it funny that new beginnings seem to mainly start in January, when we all know we can start a new routine at any minute of any day. However, a powerful energy happens when so many people are heading for the same goal, and it is hard not to get swept up into the energy of change. 

When we put away the holiday decorations, we feel a sense of wanting to clean and cleanse and start anew on a fresh track. May the “force of change” remain with you beyond the month of January.

Colette Ballew lives in Damascus, PA.