“2024: The Year of Completed Business!”
“2024: The Year of Completed Business”
by
L.T. Force, Ph.D.
Gerontologist
Every organization and system has a rhythm to it. Within the "Helping Arena" - Therapists and Practitioners will tell you that is very true. For us, we always seem to note a cancellation/no-shows or lack of appointment setting in two time-periods of the year, i.e., during the months of December and August. Why? It appears that people are absorbed by preparing and celebrating the Holidays in December. For August, clients seem to be engaged in summer activities at the beach, mountains or lakeside vacations. And then comes mid-January to March….and our phones are ringing off the hook. Why?
Yes it is true, the beauty of the change in calendar-years are typically surrounded by celebrations and gaiety. Accompanying these rituals, one finds the: “Traditional New Years Resolutions”. This is an opportunity for people to claim a vision and structure for: “a new way ahead”. People will attest that they will: “start a new pattern in the New Year….or they will stop an old pattern in the New Year”.
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New Year’s Resolutions:
The ever-popular but rarely successful act of making New Year’s resolutions is a lot older than many might think. Over 4,000 years ago, the Babylonians made promises to the gods as part of Akitu, a festival that celebrated the new year. The promises often involved things like paying debts or returning borrowed farming equipment. The Babylonians were motivated to actually fulfill these promises because nobody wants to break a promise to a god.
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Beyond the history of setting New Year’s resolutions - we see the current trend of setting resolutions - typically focusing on personal health and wellness. For example, at the turn of the calendar into the New Year - people will attest that: “In the beginning of the New Year - I will join a gym and attend 5-days a week”. Or you hear, “I will go on a diet and lose 15 pounds this “. Or, “I will be joining a Yoga class, I will get my finances in order….I will become more organized and productive….I will change my career…. I will be nicer to my partner….and the testimonies go on and on”.
How do you know that people, with intent, really mean what they say….you can see it in the evidence, i.e, gym parking lots are filled, health and wellness centers are packed, bookstores are full of customers looking to purchase guidance from: “How-to-Books”. And then comes the reality….usually by the end of January or the beginning of February….gym parking lots are emptying out….bills are piling up from the expense of Holiday gifts, customers are leaving health and wellness centers, bookstores….etc. And then our phones (clinicians and practitioners) begin to: “ring-off the hook” with people asking for appointments. Why? Because they feel worse (saddened and depressed) that they: “weren’t even able to commit to themselves…. to stick to a pattern of change”. Usually when the person arrives for an appointment, they give an account of: “how bad they feel about themselves”. A seasoned practitioner will reassure the person: “that this pattern is: part of the human condition….and the good news is - we now have a place to start….to reenergize….to reboot”.
So, as you can see, the setting of resolutions at the beginning of the New Year - has a long-standing history. And part of the setting of resolutions, incorporates patterns of success and patterns of failure. In fact, what we know from other arenas is that: “relapse is part of the recovery process”. Also knowing, “it’s never too late to start again….regardless of the time of year or date on the calendar….it’s never too late to begin again”.
Oh by the way, I too have set a New Year’s resolution for 2024 and it is a banner statement:
“2024: The Year of Completed Business!”
My intention is to use this…. as a mantra…. a compass….a pathway….a structure for planning and organization on projects and intentions…..a guide for the year.
Wish me luck….wish us luck....and good fortune....
Happy New Year!
