It’s now 2024 and I want to say “Happy New Year” to everyone. But I know the start of a new year doesn’t bring positive feelings for everyone. Especially when so many of us are reflecting on the past 12 months as perhaps not so enjoyable. There are more than a few strategies that can help you reframe the new year, or, at the very least, make it easier to cope. Today I’ll give you some ideas…

Resolutions

I’m not a big one for making new year resolutions. But New Year’s Day is the most popular time of the year for people to hit the proverbial “reset button.” Even though I don’t necessarily make resolutions, I do typically set goals for the new year.

I think most people want a second chance to improve the quality of their lives. The new year offers a blank slate — an opportunity to get things right. When we set New Year’s goals (resolutions), we are utilizing a very important concept called self-efficacy; by virtue of aspiring to a goal and following through on it, we have a sense of control over what’s happening in our lives.

New Year – New Chapter

A new year is like a blank book and the pen is in our hands. One of my favorite quotes about a new year is this one:

Even if 2023 was a rough one and nothing positive comes to mind when envisioning 2024, we still need to try taking a fresh start, putting our best self forward. Believe in ourselves. Believe in our capacity to do good & great things.

I’m fairly certain that most of us would love to see a lot of things change in the world. And as individuals we are also very likely to think that we can’t make a difference. But that’s not true. Anyone can make a difference in the world. You can have an enormous impact in the lives of the closest to you or even those miles away.

While some might think that you need to “go big” in order to make a difference, the enlightening reality is that even small gestures can really change someone’s life drastically. So, let’s work together to make the world a better place for everyone involved.

Most people think about kindness occasionally. I challenge you to practice kindness daily. Every day, look for opportunities to be kind to someone else. If you know of a shelter in need of help or supplies, donate goods or merely your time. If you notice your kids keep pestering you for attention, put your phone down and spend quality time with them. If you notice someone crying, hand them a tissue. If you hear someone mistreating another, tell them to stop & take a breath.

If you’re on the lookout for acts of kindness you can do, you’ll be more likely to find many throughout your day each day. Even something as simple as logging into Facebook each day to wish every person a beautiful day can go a long way to make people feel special.

Some Final Tips For Making A Change

A positive view of the future tends to motivate action. If you don’t believe tomorrow can be better, you’re unlikely to take steps to improve yourself or your community. So, optimism is doubly beneficial — contributing to your own mental health, but also inspiring a positive action which has an effect on those around you.

When you seek to be better, do better or contribute more fully, you tend to inspire others as well. The primary way people learn is through experiencing the behavior of others. Even if they’re not consciously aware of it, people pick up on choices and cues from others — constantly. When you focus on the future and focus on improvement, you necessarily inspire those around you.

Now I’m going to give you what I hope is another inspirational song:

Just click on the image above to hear the song. By listening to the lyrics, I hope you’ll hear how the smallest actions by one person to another can make the biggest difference. It’s in the giving that we receive.

Thanks for reading this New Year post. I hope you have exciting things in store for the coming year. I’ll be back next week, hopefully with some new crafting tips for you! Click “Follow Me” to stay in touch. I hope you have a wonderful week and year!