To Beginnings

It was January 1, 1622 that the Gregorian calendar was adopted by Europe, making January 1st the first day of the year as opposed to March 25th. I read this in the newspaper on New Year’s Day and thought to myself, “that’s too bad.”

It was changed for the purpose of when Easter should be celebrated—making Easter fall during springtime (since, at that time, most of Europe was Catholic). Many countries rejected the change, including the colonies of the future United States, who eventually adopted it in 1700.

I wish it weren’t so, though. To me, it makes much more sense to start the year in springtime. Spring is the beginning of so many things. And it feels like the beginning. The middle of winter sure doesn’t feel like a beginning. No wonder so many resolutions fail. We need that energizing spirit we have in the spring—that indestructible, non-stoppable motivation we have. Besides, our moods are often lifted too. What better a time to make changes, to start anew?

Ah well, it is what it is. And here we are at the beginning of the calendar year, trying to keep warm, trying to motivate ourselves to keep our resolutions.

I don’t mean to be a downer—it really doesn’t matter what the calendar says or what it’s like outside. We have the power to change our mindsets or habits simply by thinking differently. Let’s try and look at it as Dan Custer, author of The Miracle of Mind Power and motivational speaker, sees it:

Every morning is a fresh beginning. Every day is the world made new. Today is a new day. Today is my world made new. I have lived all my life up to this moment, to come to this day. This moment—this day—is as good as any moment in all eternity. I shall make of this day—each moment of this day—a heaven on earth. This is my day of opportunity.

It’s true. As I have learned listening to Eckart Tolle on my iPod, we only have the present, so why not make it the best present there is?

I don’t make resolutions, normally. And I never really have, though my reasoning has changed over the years. I used to just not bother—why waste my time thinking of what I need to change? Besides, I never wanted to do what everyone else was doing. I still don’t. Then it was that I didn’t want to make a promise to myself that I was bound to break. More recently, it is just that it seems cliché and contrived. I’m making changes throughout the year, whenever I notice one is needed, so why wait until January 1st to do it? Sometimes it’s too late. And other times, I just don’t know what needs changing yet.

And so, today is my beginning. As will be tomorrow and the day after that. For today’s beginning, I decided to write for my blog (it’s been a while). And to not eat sugar. Today. And, you see, I’ve already ended one of my beginnings since you're reading this. I’m sure I’ll think of another one sooner or later. Who knows what the next minutes and hours will bring? I’m looking forward to finding out. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy what I’m doing right now.