New Year...New You!

Resolutions prove a chance to start fresh!

By Dari Dyrness-Olsen

Published in the NJ Daily Record Sunday January 1, 2012

Every year welcomes a brand new chance to create the life that you truly want.  The New Year is celebrated around the globe.  It is amazing that even though we may come from different countries, speak different languages and look different, that deep down inside we are all basically the same.

Many countries consider New Year’s Day to be a national holiday.  In Spain, their tradition is to eat 12 grapes at midnight, which ensures twelve happy months ahead.  The Dutch make Christmas tree bonfires on the street and have fireworks.  The fires are meant to purge the old and welcome the new.  In Greece, New Year’s Day is the Festival of St. Basil, one of the founders of the Greek Orthodox Church.  They bake a special cake and put a gold or silver coin in it.  Whoever finds the coin will have good luck in the upcoming year.

In the United States in 1907, the first New Year’s Ball was dropped in Times Square, New York City at 11:59pm.  The celebratory 1 minute descent is eagerly anticipated all around the world.  The original ball was made of iron and wood.  The current ball is made from Waterford crystal, weighs 11,875 lbs and is 12 feet in diameter.  Over 1 million people go to New York City to watch the ball drop and an estimated 1 billion watch it on television.

In Japan, New Year’s is the most important holiday and is a symbol of renewal.  In December, they have “farewell parties” to bid farewell to problems of the past and prepare for a brand new beginning.  The Japanese believe that New Year’s Day is a day of joy and NO work should be done.  Scotland is the birthplace of “Auld Lang Syne” and is also the home of Hogmanay, the famous all-night New Year’s street festival.  Shortly after midnight, neighbors visit each other and give New Year’s wishes, which is the Scottish tradition called “first-footing”. 

There are many widely observed New Year’s traditions.  The Babylonians were said to be the first to make New Year’s resolutions.  The early Christians believed that the 1^st day of the New Year should be spent reflecting on the problems of the past year and resolving to improve them in the new year. 

No matter what country you are in, I believe that New Year’s should be a time to seriously contemplate where you are, where you have been and where you want to go.  For the past 12 years, I have enjoyed helping adults and kids improve their lives, overcome challenges and achieve their goals and dreams.  There is no problem that does not have a solution and I enjoy spending my days finding them.

Many people no longer make New Year’s resolutions.  That makes me sad because every day is a new chance to start over and do better, no matter how bad things may seem.  Each year brings an opportunity to improve on the past one.  To me it is nothing short of exhilarating! 

The reason so many New Year’s resolutions fail is because they don’t have a realistic plan.  As a counselor and personal coach, I have discovered the secrets and strategies to help people change, set goals, and reach them.  The weight doesn’t fall off by itself, your bank account won’t grow without hard work and self-control, and the person of your dreams isn’t going to come knocking on your door.  Problems don’t fix themselves.

Every resolution needs a plan.  In January, the health clubs are packed and by February they are empty.  I chuckle each year as I see my theory proven true.  The secret is to develop healthy habits that you can adopt for the rest of your lifetime.  Diets don’t work.  Just like popping a pill does not solve the root of your problems.  Everything good in life takes hard work, but when hard work becomes a habit, it becomes a normal part of your life. 

Without a plan, you are like a ship without a course going nowhere fast.  As they say, if you fail to plan then you plan to fail.  Every great athlete has a great coach behind them to hold them accountable, to motivate them, to push past their limitations and overcome their challenges.  If you haven’t had success yet, then reach out for help today. 

If you want something bad enough, you will do whatever it takes to achieve it.  I am constantly trying to improve myself and the clients that I work with.  I don’t see it as a daunting task; I embrace it as a lifelong challenge.  Is it hard?  Yes.  I wouldn’t have it any other way and neither should you.  Best wishes for a happy, healthy & abundant New Year in 2012 and may all of your dreams come true!

All my best,

Dari Dyrness-Olsen, MA, LPC

 http://www.safedatingcoach.com/