Small Town Hermit

“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you begin, and let the Lord be all in all to you.” — Charles H. Spurgeon All of Grace.

The start of a new year isn’t a particularly big deal in my world. I don’t feel the need to review the previous twelve months or make big plans for the next twelve. I certainly don’t go out an celebrate this specific change of day on the calendar. The first of January has always felt like an arbitrary choice, as opposed to, say, using the winter solstice. My father wishes me happy new year on my birthday, which also makes sense.

I am a big believer that you can make plans or changes (resolutions if you prefer) any day of the year — when the time is right or the motivation is there. As mentioned in a previous post, on September 15th, I started going for a walk every day. On November 18th, I started a bullet journal, and I have written in it every day since.

On January 1st, I make a list of reminders rather than resolutions. Sometimes the items on the list are specific and sometimes not. Some are things I already do. Others are things I want to start or do more often. This year’s list so far is: read, write, cook, knit, spin, weave, move, learn, share.

Last year had some big changes, and this year needs to have other, related big changes, so I spent today keeping up my new habits, reawakening some older habits, and working toward a future goal. I am beginning as I mean to go on, so the next step will be to go on as I began.

Happy new year!