The Gregorian Calendar says it is a new year. What does this mean?

Well, Happy New Year everyone, for what it is worth. I am not so big on giving a shit what the Gregorian Calendar means anyways, but I suppose it acts as a benchmark for something. Usually that is a benchmark for setting goals and creating a lot of expectations, burdens and goals for a "new year". Crash diets do not work, and neither does this nonsense way of thinking.

My advice. Make NO New Years resolutions. That is a shit way of thinking and setting yourself up for failure. Every day is a new chance for make things better and make better decisions, and if you make a resolution and fall of the wagon, which most do within hours, you just set yourself up to fail, failure is a negative emotion and you are already starting things off with negativity now.

No Expectations! When we have expectations of ourselves, and ESPECIALLY others, that only serves to set us up to be disappointed. This is made worse when we have unrealistic expectations for ourselves, or others, that we know are not in either party's character. This is most of the reason for negative emotions as we let other people control our emotions due to variables that we created in the first place that were entirely dependent on someone else's naturally occurring tendencies and behavior.

So! If you do happen to want a happier new year, or a new every day of the year, stop it with the expectations you place on yourself and other people. Just do what you can to improve little things every day and stop being unrealistic so that you do not set yourself up for failure and the negative feelings that go along with disappointment in "self" and others around you.

Lead by example and just try to be the best you that you can be daily, and you will act as a positive influence on others to do the same without the burden of expectations that make people feel like they must "perform" in some way. Nobody likes to have obligations placed on them, especially ones that directly affect your emotional and therefore physical well being. This is not only a burden on those people, but will turn into a situation to blame for your own failures and or emotional distress as they "disappointed you and they are to blame now", which, of course, is entirely irrational and unfair to everyone.

My rambling is over. Have a great new day!

Dean C