A novel I’m reading describes the week between Christmas and New Year’s as that “prolonged, flat, cheerless week” (“A Dance to the Music of Time 1st Movement” by Anthony Powell). Because I did celebrate Christmas, I know exactly the feeling the author describes, although I opt for the word “flat” to cover my usual experience of this week. Another descriptive word that comes to mind is “limbo”, meaning, thanks to Google, “an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition,” betwixt and between.
How to make the most of this (flat) week? First, anyone who has just celebrated Christmas needs some down time! Although some may be traveling, away vacationing, or seeing relatives, so no at-home downtime. I do hope that they get a snatch of relaxation anyway. Given that, others may be celebrating Kwanzaa or be right back at work. I hope for them that the pace and demands of the week are lighter giving them time to take a breath, reflect, and prepare for 2022.
And what else? The new year looms. How to be ready? Here are some suggestions I found for preparing for 2022; take a look back, list the lessons learned, list accomplishments, too, and clean your home/wardrobe. This one I liked, make a vision board about goals and plans for the coming year. However, I find list-making or tasks more tiring than helpful.
I opt for anchoring the new year in some attitude “foundations.” Here are a couple. “No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again,” Buddha. And, “Enter this new year with a gratitude for this new chance to create your dreams,” Avina Celeste. One more, “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start,” Nido Qubeia.
For me, the wide open feeling I get from these sayings gives me the space to imagine my way to the new year, whether I clean my home, make a list, create a vision board, or who knows!
May you have a Happy New Year.