Not Another New Year's Promise Thing

It’s a new year! Another year in the books! A new year to look forward to. 365 days. A blank slate. A story to be written. So now what??

How do I begin a new year? Make another resolution, I’ll likely not keep? Channel my inner dharma? Find my ikigai?

The concepts of dharma from Buddhism and ikigai from Japanese culture are not dissimilar as they both involve your life’s purpose. These concepts focus your energies around living a life true to who you are, balancing your mind, body, and spirit, while giving to the greater good.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Aristotle

Hence lies the paradox. Goals and resolutions give us a focus; systems in effect change. Moving toward living a life in balance, true to your ikigai and dharma requires systemic change. Wishing does not make it so. It requires measuring everything against whether or not it aligns with your vision. It requires evaluating your time, energy, and investment in making your desires manifest. It requires not letting the things that threaten to sabotage your efforts in.

Resolutions either succeed or fail because we are creatures of habit. In order to make lasting change, we need to create a different operating system. We need to make it fun and effortless. Allow our goals to bring us joy. Give ourselves the time and space to explore our intentions. Create the mindset of patience and growth. Be kind and accepting as we stretch our boundaries and grow into our future selves.