TODAY THE WORDS are NEW BEGINNINGS. So many of us made New Year Resolutions which only lasted for a month or two for the majority of us. We find our goals disappearing and/or changing. How many of us can say we have maintained whatever plans we made to get on a healthier eating lifestyle, exercise more, give up bad habits, etc? I can say with experience, Not Many! Even me with some health issues finds a piece of cake tempting, looking around for an excuse to not cook healthy, running away from exercise instead of running or walking. This is our nemesis in our health programs. Why I am writing about this is because we have to recognize the human weakness factor. We have to have NEW BEGINNINGS. Before we start a new beginning in health, I think it wise to have a new beginning in our spirit. If our spirit is at peace, we find the challenge to change habits, eating healthy, and exercising less intrusive and more rewarding. We start looking forward to each milestone with eagerness instead of drudgery. Let us take a positive look at this approach.

In sports, we have a new season to do better than we did the year before. In school, students start a new quarter or a new year to obtain a degree or have a better grade. With a new career, a person has another beginning and an opportunity to “shine”. There are numerous times in life that a new beginning is afforded and do we see the importance of this opportunity? A little baby comes into this world “beginning” its life and also at the same time a new beginning as parents occurs. Sometimes with new beginnings, we are able to start without bringing the past into this arena. This can be the best situation, leaving behind all failures, mistakes, relationships, etc. If we are afforded a fresh start, a new beginning and yet we have the experiences of lessons learned from mistakes made; how can we fail? 

Now, for the deeper thought………look at the picture and realize, if you haven’t done so before……every day is a new beginning. We can leave the past behind, forgive people that have wronged you, ask for forgiveness for yourself; see the day for the opportunity to start fresh. If habits need to be changed or stopped; stop them. If you have been angry; chill out. If you have been losing; try to win this time. If you are not happy; figure out what is wrong and change it or change yourself. If you need help; ask for help. If you need to get busy and get out of a depression; start moving as it is a known fact that busy people do not get depressed as complacent ones. The deepest thought now……Have you realized that you choose whether or not it will be a new beginning or if you stay in the same ole rut? You do have a say in whether or not your life will change in a better way. God has given you each day as a new beginning and it is up to us whether we rise, look at a beautiful sunrise, and say, “This is the day to start over”. To each of you, enjoy the beauty of this day!”          Photo courtesy of Mark Lott