The first day of a new year is a strangely unique one. The sun still rises in the east and sets in the west just like every other, yet somehow, for most of us anyway, it feels significantly different. From making New Years resolutions that will inevitably be forgotten in a weeks time, to merely reflecting on the 365 days that have just come to pass, the first of January marks the end, and the beginning, of another chapter in our lives.
We as humans in modern society place certain importance on specific calendar dates such as birthdays and anniversaries. In reality, those days are just like every other. You do not feel exceptionally wiser on the day you turn 21, nor does your relationship become any more valid on the day you celebrate your first anniversary. Although time continues to move forward, we feel the need to keep track of specific dates that give us some form of meaning and measurement as life carries on. It's all perception at the end of the day. This holds true for the start of every new year as well. An ordinary day that we peg greater meaning to, but only in our minds.
In saying that, I do believe the mental importance that we give to a new year can be an incredibly powerful driver of change. Life, and life choices, all comes down to how we apply ourselves everyday, and our chosen mental attitude is the ingredient underlying all of that. We can choose to stay in our comfort zones, submit to our failures and continue old habits. Or we can choose to push our own boundaries each and every day, see our failures as stepping stones and take action to create that desired change. You see, our mental perception of life is everything.
A new year is the perfect time to refresh your mental state and overall outlook on life. I'm talking about more than just the half hearted resolution to eat less junk food and exercise more. I mean to create real change. Real change that takes time, that isn't particularly measurable, and that becomes more about the journey than the destination.
For me, this is about fully embracing the big changes in 2013. No more student life, no more education, no more linear structure. Every choice I make on a daily basis will play a part in shaping my future. Choice is more important now than ever before. Fear it or embrace it. I choose the latter.
It is often hard for people to let go of the past to the extent that it stops them from moving forward. There is no better time to reconcile with what has been done than the start of a new year. Take stock of your life. Recognise your weaknesses. Acknowledge your failures and learn from them. The past has brought you to where you are today, but it does not dictate what you do from now.
Every day should be a clean slate and a fresh start. And every year should be the same. Start again. Seize the day.
