With the new year fast approaching I recently told my son that I am enthusiastic to get my life together with the help of some good old fashioned new year's resolutions. "You say that every year," he said. "And then you just revert back to your usual self within a few days."
"But this year will be different," I said. "This year I'm extra focused."
"That's what you always say," he said.
Maybe so, but I still think this year will really be different.
You see, January 1, 2010 will not only be the first day of the new year but also the first day of the new decade. Woohoo! Sounds exciting, heh? But seriously thinking about it, I have to ask myself why? With that day fast approaching, I have to honestly ponder, why does it give me a shot of anticipatory enthusiasm?
Is it because I will not only be able to make new year's resolutions but new decade's resolutions as well? I mean, I want to change my life for the better and get closer to my true potential for sure, but why is it that the start of the calendar year always gives me added hope to do so? Why couldn't I get the inspiration to better my life and turn over a new leaf at any arbitrary time? How about Tuesday, December 22, for example?
Perhaps it's because we live our lives according to how we divide and measure time incrementally through the use of a calendar. Or perhaps it's because all living beings are innately programmed to have a dose of energy for everything that resembles a new start. Sayings like, "Start with a clean slate in the morning" always had a special appeal to me for some reason, like the dawn of a new day always brought me hope after a decent night's sleep.
This coming new decade has certainly made me think about how fast time is truly passing by in my life. When the decade of the "ots," or whatever people will finally figure out to call it, started in the year 2000, I was 35-years-old. No spring chicken no doubt, but as the decade ends and I stand at 45-years-old, it now sounds mighty young to me. When this next decade ends and I clock in at 55 (if I'm still around by then), 45 will also sound whipper-snapper-ish for sure. That being the case, I want to take full-advantage of my "youth" while I still can. And no, I am not having a mid-life crisis. I don't even know when mid-life will really is because I have no real idea how long I will actually live in this current body.
Anyway, no matter how I analyze it, I am stoked about this new decade and really really really want to get my proverbial shit together in every possible way. No need to get into the details, other than to say this pertains to every category of my life. Will I be able to get it together? Will my new found enthusiasm waver as it does every year- at least according to my son? Or will this new year and new decade finally be the catalyst for lasting and positive change?
Hopefully, I won't be performing this same old song and dance when I'm 55. Hopefully, I will really have some good momentum by then and feeling even better than I did when I was 35, or even 25 for that matter. What I mean to say is, time will really be running out by then to make any major improvements. Of course, when and if I get there, there will be somebody older telling me how young I really am. Whatever the case, there's no better time to realize that the time is now.
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