“Another year over, a new one just begun…” anyone else humming those famous John Lennon lyrics this week? It’s hard to believe that song, “Happy Xmas (War is Over),” was first released 50 years ago! My how time flies by.
For most people, the beginning of a new year brings with it reflection and planning, goals and resolutions, and a sense of hopeful anticipation for the coming year. Seemingly everywhere you look—store shelves, social media, billboards, TV commercials, and your email inbox—you see reminders of the new year and the intrinsic exhortation to plan well and do better this year.
Daily planners, inspirational calendars, articles on goal setting, tips for forming better habits, countless motivational quotes, and dozens of personal social media posts by friends, family, and colleagues all determined to achieve greater success this year. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin!
You might be the kind of person who is motivated and inspired by all that goal-setting, resolution-making noise. Or… you might be more inclined to just climb back in bed and pull the covers over your head to shut out all that overwhelming advice and self-improvement rivalry.
You might be the kind of person who is fired up and excited about the year that is stretched out ahead of you, ready to take on the world and do better than ever before! Or… you might still be entrenched in the challenges, disappointments, and regrets of the year behind you, limping into the new year with your head hung low, on level with your expectations.
Wherever you might rate yourself on that scale, I want to give you a piece of advice as you step forward into another year: check the tone of your inner voice.
That voice in your head, recounting your successes and failures, making judgements about the year behind and making plans for the year ahead—what is the tone of that inner voice? I don’t know the origin of this quote, but it contains immense wisdom:
“May your inner voice be the kindest voice you know.”
Whatever your level of excitement and anticipation may be right now, you will undoubtedly have your ups and downs in the weeks and months to come. In the midst of those ups and downs, those goals attained and resolutions failed, may your inner voice be the kindest voice you know.
You, my friend, are worth it.
