Sunrise 2022

Everybody loves a good New Year's resolution, a challenge to think about, an idea to chat about over lunch or boba, a reason to charge into January with our heads held high. And while some people say we don't need January first to make that resolution, I do believe that, just as sunrises, with their brilliant orange slowly offering a deep and beautiful blue, remind us that new opportunities are waiting to be discovered everyday, a new year can be a powerful marker of possibilities and beginnings. So in crafting a resolve, we're not just being cliche.

Well, I don't mean the typical I'm going to join a gym and lose ten pounds or I'm going to make an effort to be a nicer person (though we all should be kinder, let's face it); I mean something we truly desire to bring into our lives so we can radiate positivity and joy into the world. Not pounds but health. Not superficial smiles but deep respect for ourselves and others. Not cleaner homes but tidier minds.

When we're calmer and healthier, we're happier. When we're more disciplined and focused, we're more confident. And when we're both happy and confident, we're just generally nicer people. And there you go, the 'nicer person' resolution sprouts in an authentic and important way. When you wish the barista a great day after they hand you the latte you ordered on the app without interacting with a single person, you're sincere – you think they're actually the kindest barista you've ever met. Or when you plan your weekly meals to include veggies and lean protein and only an occasional splurge of the new gelato flavor at the grocery store, you're effortlessly (or not so effortlessly, but you'll get there), prioritizing your health because you recognize and value your own strength. For real. 

None of this means we can't resolve to make changes that are more quantifiable like 45 minutes of exercise a day or 20 pages a week on that novel you've been writing. We can. Grounding these changes, though, in deeper desire seems a more clear way to achieve our goals and connect with ourselves and our communities. 

Last year, deep into the pandemic, I didn't have any resolutions. I couldn't go regularly to the gym because the hours were reduced and visiting was by appointment only, and writing or doing anything creative beyond house-bound karaoke that made my house-bound family roll their eyes, required more energy than I had after planning and administering Zoom classes. I was in survival mode and grateful, so grateful, that I and my family members didn't fall ill. 

This year, things are different. Profound resolutions and changes are here. 2022's biggest meaningful  change for me is leaving university teaching and starting a business. After years of connecting directly with students, of being inspired by them and, hopefully, inspiring a few of them in turn, it's time for me to expand my reach, to dig into my creativity to share what I love in another way, to focus on a new direction in order to have that tidy mind and healthy spirit. And yes, I'll also drink more water because respecting my body and not taking my health for granted are deeply important to me.  

So 2022, watch out. This is the year. This is my sunrise.










 

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