Most people like the idea of a fresh beginning. Whether it is a new job, a new house, a big lifestyle change or a move across the country, there’s something promising about starting over.
We get to decide if our old ways are to be maintained. We get to decide on new furniture, new clothes, new friends or new patterns. We focus on what can be new and improved in our lives and what should be eliminated. Big “outward” changes also seem to give us permission to make inward changes—to change our intentions and values.
But does it require that something big happens?
In one of Ernest Holmes’ radio programs, he said this of fresh beginnings:
“To those who know that life goes on, every day is but another fresh beginning, filled with hope and wonder… We should put all thought of fear or dread from our minds and live in joy and happiness, each day fulfilling the duties and entering in the joys of living; not as thought we were either old or young, but from that broader basis that we are immortal souls now.”
Maybe we don’t have to wait for something big. Could we just start making different choices?
Yes! But be prepared for some inertia.
Our lives have a certain inertia. Our everyday patterns of life have been solidified over any number of years. Whether they are useful patterns or patterns that no longer support our best interests, they have a “weight” to them. If we want to start over in some area of our life, specific planning may be required.
Make sure your new intentions, plans and choices are clear in your own mind. You may get questions from your “old” friends, family and co-workers. You may need to explain the newness that you’re cultivating.
Create an environment for your newness to thrive. Do you need to set a specific time and location for the new exercise plan? Do you need to have the right clothes or the right equipment for a new job? Do you need to develop different shopping habits to support better nutrition?
Be patient with yourself. It may take some time before the “new” you is able to replace the “old” you. Creating healthy new habits is not done overnight. Behavioral psychologists tell us that new habits often take several months before they become routine. Until then, you will need to maintain motivation and interest in the new ways of being. Otherwise, old habits may come back.
Can every day be another fresh beginning? Absolutely! Every day is a day that God responds, without hesitation, to your thoughts, prayers and choices. When the thoughts, prayers and choices are new ones, we can co-create something wonderful and new in our lives.