HAPPY NEW YEARS
Let's welcome 2025 in with a smile and a hug.
1st… Make some intentions.
All through my 20’s, I sat down every January 1st, and made a list of all the things I’d down wrong and what I could do better in the coming 365 days. It was kind of a downer, beating myself up.
So in my 30’s, I changed tactics. On the first day of the new year, I wrote up a list of intentions, focused on 3 things: MIND, BODY, & SPIRIT. But instead of picking 3 things to work on, I would pick 3 things to work on under each heading. So 9 things total. That’s a lot to remember when life throws so much at you already.
Last year, I was like, “Less is more, dude.” I told myself I could pick THREE THINGS. And they had to be simple. Like, haiku-simple. A few words. Something I could write on a post-it and slap on my mirror. The image above is take straight from my phone notes.
SMILE OFTEN.
BREATHE DEEPLY.
DO YOUR BEST.
Simple. Easy to remember. And not as overwhelming or strict (or bossy) as previous years when I had items like “Go to the gym 5x a week.”, “Change diet and eat better every meal.”, and “Do a logic puzzle every day to fend off Alzheimer’s.” Who has that kind of time? So yeah. Simple. Easy to remember. And not too pushy.
If you’re the kind of person who does intentions, feel free to copy me. Or make your own.
This year, I added one more. Cuz why not. I deserve it. So do you.
2nd… You got this.
A lot of folks aren’t ready for 2025. I know the feeling. There’s a lot going on in the world. A lot of negative. A lot of rough stuff. A lot of really hard things to face. But you’re not alone. And there are actions you can take to feel better.
Reach out to friends and family. (Either for support or to support them)
Volunteer for a cause you believe in.
Take a break from the news.
Do one thing nice for yourself (or a loved one) each week.
Do one thing nice for a complete stranger once a month.
Eat chocolate.
Laugh at your own farts.
Try something new. (Maybe try something really weird and out of your comfort zone.)
Buy a plant. (And try not to kill it.)
Enjoy more time outdoors.
Pet a dog. (Or a cat, if you’re not allergic.)
Go to your local indie bookstore. Browse. Buy a comforting book. Then find a comfortable nook at home and read it with some hot chocolate or a glass of wine.
Whatever you do, don’t let yourself get too overwhelmed. Life is hard. But life is also pretty awesome if you put in the effort to make it fun.
3rd… Give a little extra love to others.
I recently discovered a little button on my text message interface. It’s a little “audio” button. You press it, and you say stuff, and then you hit “send.” Easy breezy, right?
Yeah, I’m kinda obsessed. And when I walk my doggo, I’ve taken to sending Voice-Texts. (Is that what they’re called? I dunno. I’m not some in-the-know teenager.) Basically, I go through my contacts, and randomly choose a couple of folks who I haven’t talked to in too long, and I send them a 30-second voice-text telling them I miss them and I hope they’re well. I also do this for close friends.
I usually do this in a funny accent. It’s usually British. Or Irish. But I’m not very good at that. (I also do a voice that sounds like Marvin the Martian, cuz I can do that one well.)
My point being… it’s nice to hear someone’s voice. It’s even nicer to hear a message that says someone’s been thinking about you. And the coolest part? They usually send one back.
It’s easy, it’s fast, and let’s face it—it’s fun. Especially with the funny accents.
4th… eat something fun (or weird).
Some people eat stuff to bring good luck. I thought I’d share a few if you need ideas.
In the United States, black-eyed peas symbolize good fortune because they resemble pennies and swell when cooked, which suggests an expansion of wealth.
In Europe and the United States, leafy greens like kale and collards represent money and wealth.
In German and Eastern European traditions, pork is thought to bring good luck because a pig buries its snout into the ground and moves forward in the direction you want to head in the new year.
In Greece, pomegranates are smashed against the front door to bring good health and happiness to the home.
In China, Japan, and many other Asian countries, noodles symbolize longevity. Make sure not to break or shorten the noodles during the cooking process.
In Rex tradition, Rex likes to eat cake. It symbolizes… cake. I mean, fun. Yeah, fun. I like to eat fun. Go eat some fun.
Aight… that’s enough from me.
Go start your new years, and start 2025 off right. Sending big hugs. XO, R