Happy New Year!
During these last few hours of the 1980s, you may be experiencing mixed feelings about what is going on in your life.
If you are like many others, you already feel a tinge of the post-holiday blahs. You are in good company if you gained several pounds, spent too much money and feel tired from too many activities in too short a time.
Also, you face the two coldest months of the year, which mean few outdoor activities and more hibernation. There are other dreaded memories of this time of year for many of us who attended institutions of higher learnings in the ‘50s, ‘60s and part of the ‘70s as we remember that this time of year meant the beginning of final exams. Fortunately for today’s young people, exams now precede the holiday break. So here we are, with a few football games, an evening with old friends and a big pot of black-eyed peas to look forward to during the New Year’s weekend.
After that we have to face the music.
But facing the music needn’t be bad if we have the proper mindset and attitude about this first year of the new decade.
It is important to recognize that a normal and natural letdown occurs after any period of intense activity and excited anticipation. Ups and downs are part of life and keep it from becoming routine and boring. Letdowns can be a period of regrouping, rebuilding and renewing efforts.
If you feel you have nothing to look forward to, find something meaningful in your life to view as a challenge, an opportunity or a need. If you already have a positive mental outlook in place, set some goals, devise strategies to attain these goals and put action into your opportunities. Remember, the key is to look toward the future and seek meaningful experiences.
One of the rituals many people go through at this time of year is to adopt resolutions. For me, this can be helpful. For others it can lead to disappointment and the feeling of failure. If you do make resolutions, remember to:
Set meaningful realistic goals that can be approached in step-by-step fashion. If you want to lose weight, adopt a weight reduction plan that allows you to loose weight in small increments. Don’t set a goal to loose 25 pounds in one week.
Resolve to have some fun. Consider hobbies, a vacation you have always wanted, an addition to your home or yard.
Don’t’ make every resolution one that requires self-discipline and hard work.
Increase the amount of time you spend helping others. Look at your talents and expertise, then use them to assist the less fortunate in your community.
Consider your family. Are you meeting their needs? Take time to examine your role and reassess not only your expectations but also theirs.
About self-improvement. Whatever you hope to do to make yourself better, look at life from the standpoint of the spiritual dimension by which you evaluate life. This should be your bedrock.
Above all, don’t take yourself too seriously. Enjoy life. Join the rest of us in the adventures ahead in the ‘90s.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1989
Hi.
I’m an experienced Clinical Practitioner, Administrator, Professional Writer, and Lecturer.
