Happy New Year! We're just over two weeks into 2024, and there’s been a lot of discussion in our home around the beginning of the year, and why we tend to attach so much hope, anticipation, and resolve around it, rather than being resolute as a matter of course in our daily lives. I think we just love "fresh starts" and "new beginnings" and the new year allows just that; even more so than our own birthdays. It’s a collective reset!
I'm a firm believer that goal setting, whenever it happens, creates a blueprint to keep us accountable throughout the year. So while resolutions seem meant to be broken (see countless gym membership memes 🙃), we can set ourselves up for success by keeping them small, manageable, or even better, a continuation of something we've already started.
Here are four questions bouncing around our dinner table over the past several weeks:
What’s one habit or thing you did last year that you're not taking into 2024?
What's a new habit or practice you picked up last year that you'll continue this year?
What's one thing that would make you feel good to accomplish this year?
What's your theme word of the year?
Since we range in ages from 5 to 50, our answers were understandably quite different. I was happy to hear my partner offer up “speak French more often” and very proud when Asha said she’d started journaling and wanted to continue it.
Personally, 2024 has gotten off to a slow and somewhat introspective start. Usually one to dive headfirst into the new year, I've found myself so far easing into things and giving myself space to think about what really matters to me, and not just for the new year... how to slow down yet improve my productivity, being present for my children, connecting with my friends and community, and squeezing as much joy as possible from life's small moments, like cooking or running errands.
If you haven’t already, I invite you to borrow these questions, or create your own, for your next family dinner or gathering with friends! It’s the beginning of a new year… Let’s allow ourselves to be hopeful, intentional, resolute. Even if it only lasts till the end of the month! 😇
Photo by: Juma
Serena, Asha (10), and Amal (6) - Mérida, Mexico, December 2023.
