WHEN IS YOUR PERSONAL NEW YEAR?

You don't have one?? Are you sure?

When I was much, much younger, my personal New Year began in September, with the first day of school. I've talked about that many times. And, naturally, the date of my personal New Year changed, depending on the day school started--what school district I lived in--even the state or city I lived in. But my firmly held belief was this: When school started, so did my personal year. Period.

As you might have guessed, the start of the school year as a signal for my personal new year ran out of gas eventually. True, I had children in public schools into my late 30s; and I managed to continue my own schooling that long. Though I held onto that concept as long as I could, I had to gradually let go. New Year meant, in my neck of the woods, January 1st.

Okay, I've lived with that for lo, these many decades. Then a couple of days ago a phone visit with my son sent my thoughts out for a look around.

It went, sort of, like this:

Son: What have you been painting lately?

Me: Just finished a painting of silver birches at sunset. I'm going to start some simple practices--4-inch square "little paintings." Nothing formal, mainly just mark-making and trying out colors, things like that. I read about the "100 Days of Art Practice" online--think I'll start that.

Son: When?

Me: Oh, soon. Maybe the beginning of the month..................

You see what happened? I was nudged into thinking of a longer period of painting. And the next day, my brain woke up. "You dummy," it said, "today is the first day after your birthday. Start now!"

You guessed it! My personal New Year is my birthday. (Definitely a "duh" moment. How could I have missed that?)

So yesterday, Wednesday, the day I draft this blog post, I cut some 4x4-inch squares of mixed media paper, taped them to my painting board, and began. A little paint--let it dry--draw some doodles or words or just lines on top of the paint. Move on to the next one.

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The lesson here is this: Today is a perfect day to start something new. Doesn't have to be your personal new year. Doesn't have to be a big production. If you sing, try a new song each day. Look up lyrics to old songs. Play some of your CDs (or whatever you listen to). You cook? Great! Make something new--try a recipe you watch a chef make on the Internet. Gardener? You might have to wait for the ground to thaw, but now is the perfect time to read garden catalogs--you know, make your list, check it twice. . . .

Try a new author--one you haven't read before, old or recent. Find a movie (lots of free ones if you keep looking), one you missed when it was new. If you're a list-maker, start a notebook with lists of what you want/need/absolutely must replace. Then add the places you can find those items and their price. (Scary, huh?)

Or, your list could include new YouTube channels you want to look at. (I caution you--that list can take weeks of looking and writing it down.)

Important reminder: Your new practice, whatever it is, doesn't have to be every day--but do keep on with finding something new in your personal New Year.

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I hope you discover your very own personal New Year. It's like a gift you give yourself--a special day that's yours. Lots of people may have the same one--so what? Yours is special because--well, it belongs to you!

So, Happy New Year, whenever that is!

Blessings,

Thursday's Child