A New Beginning by John Cali

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John Cali

Well, it’s that time of year when many folks around the world are preparing to hail the dawn of a new year. This is an exciting time to be alive. I believe 2005 will bring many changes and much growth for all of us. (We published this article December 30, 2004.)

For most of my life, I faithfully made my annual list of new year’s resolutions in December. And then about mid-January, my list had faded into the dark recesses of frustration and forgetfulness.

Sound familiar?

Now I no longer make long lists of new year’s resolutions. I’ve finally kicked the habit! Instead, I make short lists of daily resolutions every morning for what I wish to accomplish that day.

Thanks to Spirit, I’ve realized every day is a new beginning, and not just January 1.

Spirit

How often have you yearned for a fresh start in your lives, a new beginning? How often have you told yourselves if only you hadn’t done this or that, you could start anew with no past baggage?

The desire to have a new beginning in your lives is commendable, and we completely understand that. We are not discouraging you from this.

But, for whatever reasons, the beginning of a new year has taken on a mystique and power for many of you. And so you make your long, often ponderous, lists of new year’s resolutions.

Then, as with John’s experience, you quickly abandon your well-intentioned lists. And you give up and plod ahead without that energy and joy you felt when you were creating your lists.

The reason many give up their new year’s resolutions lists is they’re too much for you to comfortably handle all at once. You overwhelm yourselves.

And so you “throw the baby out with the bath water,” as your saying goes.

Friends, you need to take a shorter perspective, if you will.

January 1 is a new beginning, certainly. But there’s nothing sacrosanct about that date. Every day is a new beginning. Would it not be easier for you to take your lives one day at a time instead of in those daunting one-year chunks?

You don’t know for sure what lies down the road one year from now. But you do have a better idea of what lies before you in the next 24 hours. Wouldn’t it just be easier to take it one step at a time? One day at a time?

New beginnings abound in your lives. January 1 is a new beginning. When you awake in the morning is a new beginning. When you go to sleep at night is a new beginning.

In fact, every moment is a new beginning. Every breath you take is a new beginning.

With each breath you are born again. With each breath the cells of your body are born again. What existed one breath ago no longer exists with your next new breath.

New beginnings abound with every breath you take. Live in the moment, knowing all your power lies in this present moment. All of it!

Make your lists of goals. But do it in a way that feels good and easy to you. This should not be an exercise in seeing how much misery you can create for yourselves.

New year’s resolutions are not usually a good exercise for most of you. And for the reasons we’ve already discussed.

Have your goals, certainly. But live them only in the present moment, allowing yourselves to simply flow with the energy of your life, with the life-giving energy your higher selves bring you with every breath you take.

New beginnings abound. Let your next breath be as important a new beginning to you as January 1.

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