Goal Setting and Resolutions

Good morning.  This is it, the last day of 2016.  Over the last week, I've read a lot about goal setting, resolutions, and saying goodbye to 2016.

Just a few days ago I was asked about my goals for 2017.  It's always fascinating to me how so many people are always so gun-hoe about "making a fresh start" with the ringing in of the new year, then as the year goes on many of those "fresh starts" are lost along the way.  Why do you need a new year to make a "fresh start" or to set new goals?  But I digress.

I confess I don't set goals and I don't make resolutions.  When I was in my 20's I used to fall victim to the resolution trap, only to fail by the end of January or at best late February.  Then I felt terrible for days and beat myself up about the failure.  Then one year I stopped.  I stopped setting myself up for the failures.  Since then I've figured out the connection between the world of goals/resolutions and me.  I feel very much the way Susannah Conway does in the first paragraph of this article.  Goals and resolutions make me feel trapped and uninspired.

As a creative person, I need to be inspired by something before I make it part of my daily life.  Inspired to make the change, the commitment and the follow through.  I really think we need to stop tieing so much weight to the beginning of a new year.   Really, isn't starting a new year enough?

So, what about saying goodbye to 2016?  Yeah, not really my style either.  It's a year, not a good friend.  It's time to start another chapter and take one more trip around the sun.  This year was filled with all kinds of emotions for so many of us, but every year is filled with emotions.  Some Years are more emotional than others, just part of life.  Every year celebrities die.  Every year babies are born.  Every year life brings us challenges, obstacles, and trials.

What about you?  Do goals and resolutions work for you?  Do they inspire you?  Or are you like me and feel trapped and uninspired?  Maybe you bid the year goodbye like an old friend.  Whatever you choose to do, may 2017 be filled with more joy than sorrow and more laughter than tears.  Happy New Year to you and yours and here's to one more trip around the sun.

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