Well, hello there 2026! You crept up on us in the middle of the week this year. Here in the United States we are excited to celebrate the 250th birthday of our beautiful country.
We have to say goodbye to 2025. Like other years, it had good days and bad days. There were celebrations and tearful goodbyes. Things to overcome and things that came easy. Lazy days and busy days. And like every year prior, it all comes to an end.
The New Year often marks a time of resolutions to change something or do something. It’s a time to look forward to all the possibilities of the next 12 months. And a time to reflect on the past 12 months. And if you aren’t happy with what you did over the past year, this is the time to make changes in your life so that one year from now, you’ll look back with satisfaction.
Of course, life has a way of throwing curveballs at you. We do not have the gift of prophesy to know what is coming our way. So, each day is an adventure – some fun and exciting, some not so much.
But the New Year often comes with the feeling of “Same crap, different day, different year”. Because it’s up to us to make the changes. We have an active role in everything we do. I’m not saying repetition isn’t good. It absolutely can be wonderful. Like when you go to a restaurant that you like and know the food will be to your liking. Or when you have a favorite vacation spot that your family returns to. Repetition is the key to learning new skills. We learn by doing. When I was taking ballroom dance lessons, we would do the same steps again, lesson after lesson, week after week until it became natural. That’s not getting into a rut, it’s learning new things.
I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. I try to look at every day and figure out how I can make the most of it. Since I am retired, I do a lot of what others may consider menial tasks. But things that need to be completed and are definitely repetitive. Cleaning, laundry, meal planning, cooking, taking care of the animals, gardening, canning and freezing fresh produce are all part of my everyday life. But I’m rarely bored and often quite busy. I also find that these tasks are immensely satisfying. Because I feel like I accomplished something. I can see what I did and have something tangible to show for my efforts.
I have no doubt that this year will bring some changes. I already have a few ideas of things I’d like to start in this new year. There will be a few homeowner projects, but aren’t there always? My goal is total recovery from my previous shoulder surgery. I’m only 10 weeks post-surgery and working hard to get range of motion. It will take 10-12 months for me to fully gain range of motion and strength. I’m in it for the long haul because it’s important to me to have my full capacity for all the other things in my life.
No matter where you are in life, if there is something that is important to you, please make the effort to do it. We do not know what tomorrow will bring. But if we take it one day at a time and make the most of each day, then we will have no regrets.
My prayer for you is that you have an amazing 2026. That you find what you’ve been looking for even if it doesn’t look like what you thought it would. That you experience great joy. And that you get some precious quiet time to rest and recharge.
Happy New Year!