A New Take On Resolutions

To Face Unafraid

The Plans That We’ve Made…

Christmas songs hit a little differently this holiday season. As a new mother of a young son, with a life of opportunity ahead of us, it’s as if I truly heard the lyrics of the classic songs for the first time.

As we step over the threshold into a new year, one powerful line that still echoes in my mind is, “To face unafraid the plans that we’ve made”….

Nothing to do with the hope of snow, but maybe the pure scene of a white canvas, this imprinted message asks us to recommit to the once daring plans that you made to yourself, friend, or spouse. The real resolution to be unearthed at the start of the year. An old promise, made sacred once it unified with another person’s future, and multiplied in importance by each child. A plan, an intention, a spell, a prayer, a goal…all sentiments for the same outcome. How to move forward with the best resources and support that life can offer.

I pushed back harder than ever at the end of December, not ready to leave behind the birth year of my son and the date that marks the most physically altering year of my young life. But reality remains that I am no longer a young adult, parented and protected. I must bravely accept the role of plan maker and goal setter for my family; their health, education, daily routine, and like all the women in family before me, their spirituality.

I’m starting to realize that by avoiding making a resolution, in any form, I have actually been avoiding planning for the future. As if keeping your life open-ended could prevent disappointment or the shock of unexpected trajectories, I didn’t want to stamp the year with a goal. But, as I would recognize and encourage anyone on my table to see, a "stay close to home mentally” drains the color out of life. A winter wonderland that will eventually block the beauty of new growth and spring liberties.

One gentle exercise, on my road to bravely facing the future, was to recreate a trend from Instagram. I couldn’t make a resolution but I knew what habits or intentions I wanted to add to life in the new year. And as I continued writing I realized the behaviors or mental models that I didn’t want to cross the threshold with me.

Maybe make your own In & Out List for 2024. A side entrance to assess underlying goals you have for yourself in the realm of professional, interpersonal, physical, Intellectual, Cultural etc. In doing so, I hope you imagine the blueprints of plans that are ready to be seen in color.

Happy New Year,

~ Marina