resolution conqueror

i don't know why i have this feeling that 2010 is going to be such a great year, but i do. i was just listening to a song by the goo goo dolls. it says "tonight's the night the world begins again". though i normally relate and found this song fitting to the night michael left for the mission (because we listened to it like 18 times, ha) today i also feel it is a fitting way to start the new year. my grandpa says the way to achieve your new years resolutions is to discard the idea that there is some magic about a new year, or january, that suddenly causes an abrupt change of behavior. while i believe this is true, i also believe that there is a strong motivation that comes with a new year. more people join gyms in january than any other month. and i hear temple attendance in january also skyrockets across the globe in january. as i've said previous, i love that we can wake up everyday with a fresh start to change or improve. i feel this way especially about the new year. not only is it a new day, but a new month, and a new year! after the lazy holiday season of eating 40 pounds of junk food and sleeping in and sitting around all day, january is a great time to recommit to things we want to change or improve in the coming year. however, by january 31, 90% of people have abandoned all their resolutions they made just 30 days prior. so there's our challenge - to break the trend and make our resolutions and dreams a reality.

new years resolutions were supposedly started way back in 153 BC with a mythical king of rome named janus. he is often depicted with two faces and one head. the one face is looking backward to see what he would like to change in the new year. the other face symbolizes his looking forward to visualize what things would be like with his changes accomplished and mastered. the romans conveniently named january after janus, thus why we identify resolutions with the first month of the year.

so, my challenge to myself this year is to be like this janus. consistently looking back and identifying areas of change, and becoming a resolution conqueror by looking forward with confidence that i can, and will change. may 2010 be the best year yet!