2024: a new Dawn, a new Day, a new Day for Me
A new year is here again, a new opportunity and a new beginning!
Is there anything more uplifting and encouraging than that?
And like quantum physics states, there are plenty of possibilities—even more than we can imagine. It’s not free cheesiness or mumbo jumbo talking. This awareness can be the starting point for our resolutions for 2024.
However, before we write down a list of “I will…” or “I want…” we can ask ourselves, “Why do I want to do this or that?”
In the cold light of day
In the case of habit-related goals, we can do some self-analysis to go to the root and, in a sincere and not judgmental way, also wonder: Why did I start to smoke (or have any other addiction, i.e., drugs, food, sugar, alcohol, shopping, sex, etc.)? How do I feel after I smoke (use drugs, eat sugar, overeat, drink alcohol, etc.), am I repeating a family script? What if I don’t do it at all? What’s the real necessity or the void I’m trying to fill?
The answers...
Once we have the answer(s), we may go beyond the “simple” exercise of (free) will, maybe fighting and even punishing ourselves. As Carl Jung wrote, “the fact is that free will only exists within the limits of consciousness. Beyond those limits, there is mere compulsion.”
And whether we’re talking about quitting something unhealthy (toxic relationships included) or reaching objectives (losing weight, running a marathon, learning a new language, writing a book, you name it), there are concrete things we can do it to make those good intentions bear fruit.
Let’s make it in a SMART way.
In project management and personal development environments, far from abstractions, they use the mnemonic acronym SMART, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bounded.
To use an example, let’s say we want to learn a language. Let’s specify which one is French. Then we could say we want to be able to read a children’s book, have a conversation or reach A2 level (elementary) certification and that will be the way to measure the progress we have made. The fact that these things are doable, the opposite of giving a speech or writing a book, will help us to persevere and, eventually, achieve the target. The motivation to be able to speak French, maybe because we want to travel/move to France —or to any other French-speaking country—, to get a job/promotion or to communicate better with our partner, will make this aim meaningful and relevant to us. Setting a deadline, will give us a time frame to work with and ensure that our desire to say more than “bonjour” and “merci beaucoup” does not go up in smoke.
Be the change you want to see
And since to be in this world is not only about taking, as amoebas do, among our intentions we can include actions to help others, strangers or not… It could be volunteering, donating something (money, food, clothing) or just sending good wishes to people in need, not only from a material point of view.
Last but not least, as the Irish prayer goes, “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand”.
Happy Shiny 2024
Stay tuned because this year in Women World, we bring plenty of good news, activities and services to contribute to your process of empowerment and evolution… And, in the meantime, let’s sing aloud, like the great Nina Simone did, “it’s a new dawn, a new day, a new life for me. And I’m feeling good.”
Happy and shiny 2024 for all of us!
Melanny Hernández R. is a copywriter and blog curator at Women World