Vasilopita- A Traditional New Year Cake

I used to be religious about New Year Resolutions in my younger days. One year, I convinced my entire family to make a list of their personal goals and toss them into a communal box. The plan was to open the box the following New Years Day to see if we stayed  true to our pledge for change.

Talk about depressing.

I stopped believing in the power of resolutions a long time ago when I realized they served no other purpose than to make me feel like a complete failure. I couldn’t go to the gym everyday or refrain from my salty french fry fix or stop biting my nails. And I definitely couldn’t stop fighting with my younger siblings whose sole purpose in life was to take my clothes without asking, listen in on my private telephone conversations and argue with me incessantly until I snapped.

Over the years, I’ve looked at the beginning of a new year as an opportunity rather than a test. And maybe that’s why resolutions don’t have a place in my life anymore. I grew tired of focusing on the things I didn’t like about myself and stared focusing on all the things I really, really loved. In time, that focus turned into an examination of my personal journey.

Who do I want to be?

What kind of life do I want to live?

With every passing year, a new chapter unveils itself. I make mistakes. I pick up the pieces. I experience real joy and by extension, real sorrow. New opportunities present themselves. Obstacles force certain decisions. I learn that I am strong and capable but also fragile and insecure at times. I am a traveler along an unfamiliar road, unsure and yet eager for the opportunities and experiences and memories.

Happy New Year dear friends. I hope you discover new things and meet new people and travel to beautiful places. Embrace everything 2016 has to offer.

No resolutions.

Just dreams.