Because every hour of every day you can make the decision to start over, right? 

And that, my blog-reading friends, is the sobering truth.

If you follow this blog, you know I took an unintended writing pause in 2023.  Something about, I don’t know, non-stop work causing constant back-to-back business trips on top of an overly optimistic list of goals for last year, etc.  You all know the excuses because, at least in my mind, many of us share in the same over-crowded life.  Until we don’t, and by that I mean sometimes life just forces you to stop for a bit offering you an opening, like it or not, to reassess and catch your breath.  At some point last year, that happened for me.

So, here I am ten months after my last post and happy to be writing again.  Will I be more consistent in my posts this year?  I hope so, but only time will tell.

Write each day with hope but without expectation.  Isak Dinesen

I paraphrased that quote, but it’s meaningful to me because, more often than not, I hesitate to write because you never know if anyone is interested in what you have to say.

Hello, anyone out there listening?

And that’s a normal emotion for writers or basically anyone that uses social media to express themselves.  Which is why I want to share one of my new favorite words, kukakuka.  It’s a Hawaiin word that means discussion.  Loosely translated, “let’s talk story.”

I mean come on, isn’t just saying it fun?

I’m mentioning kukakuka because one of my goals is to tell you more stories this year.  Yes, I listened to your comments and I heard you like them, so thank you for that!

Truthfully, the thing about crossing over into a new year, is that in doing so you get a sobering expectation of both the past and what the next twelve months might bring.  And, maybe instead of beating yourself up over the past goals you didn’t get to cross off your list, you should focus on the ones you did.  Even if they’re tiny. Because here I go repeating myself, but every day is a new opportunity to start over. 

FREE ADVICE:  As we approach the last week in the new calendar, go ahead and make some new promises to yourself, but maybe just think smaller this time around.  Give yourself permission to get off to a gentler start in 2024 instead of, say, feeling that dreadful, hurtful burn with the first intense, long overdue workout, or cleaning out every single closet in the house.  All in one day.  And while it’s true that I’m not a licensed counselor, or any kind for that matter, this I know for sure:  bite size changes can make a difference.

Concentrate on the highs of last year and, no matter how painful, listen to what you learned from the lows.  Another year is always another gift.

For sure that’s what I’m going with this year, and I hope you do, too.