There is something about the new year that always just gets me excited. Every year, while a good portion of the world is out partying and waiting for the ball to drop in Times Square, I always find myself sitting at home, by the fire and waiting with bated breath for the next day to dawn. New Year’s has started to have a whole new meaning in my life over the last decade because it has allowed me to focus not on a celebration, but on a time where – for once – you can wipe the slate clean and begin a new game.
Ten years ago, I was right there with everyone else. Toasting to a great year, enjoying the company of others, being merry in the moment – but those days for me are long gone. Now, I spend New Year’s in deep thought. Thinking about all wins/losses from the previous year. Thinking about all successes/failures from the previous year. All the while, thinking about just how much more I can do in the coming year. It is one of the heaviest thought times in my year as I set goals and thoughts about what is to come. I guess you could say I have become very “anti-social” over New Year’s because that has become time reserved for myself, with no other room in my head for anyone besides immediate family. Anyone who wants to occupy my time has either already done so for that year or will have to wait till the new year.
Every January, at least for me, is a time to start over. To set my sights on even greater challenges and think bigger about opportunities that I will face. It is a time to take a breath. While not in the middle of a couple of 12-18 hour days of work, I can focus and reflect on the past – and then let it all go, because once the clock strikes midnight, it is all over with. The turn of the year has truly become a special time for me in my career. This is the time I will always set my goals, and I am not a believer in waiting until the new year to start working on my goals. By the first day of the year, I like to wake up already with my goals clear and on paper. There is not a minute to lose because the clock is ticking.
Some people may read this and think, wow – what an intense person. But it only stems from the deep belief that sometimes all you need is a fresh start to accomplish more than you ever thought possible. Also, it takes a special kind of person to wake up in a new year already frustrated over not being where they want to be. But even I have to remind myself sometimes that it is only day 1.