It is a brand new year. It will be a brand new you. Supposedly. Maybe. Who knows?  Resolutions are so last century. An executive recently noted that they advise people to make Monday resolutions instead of these annual ones that inevitably end up being nothing-burgers. I don’t see the point to Monday resolutions either because inevitably by Wednesday those resolutions will hit life barriers and walls leaving you looking forward  forward to the weekend.  Yikes, was that too pessimistic? It is just a few hours into the new year. I have got to reverse this bit of snark because my word for the year is “joy”. We must allow joy to seep through every bit of our core.  With that said, there is nothing wrong with snark. Especially since I am back in my glorious New York- the home of snark. Yahoo.

But let me be non-snarky for a second or two. How about this? Make this the year where you decide to make it a point to go someplace new each year. I would almost argue that one should aim for something new each month. But small goals are more realistic and achievable. But make sure to do what you can while also pushing yourself further.

A while ago I had a debate with myself: is it better to travel back to a place one loved or to a new place? Being that I am a social psychologist by training and orientation, I concluded one should do both depending on the context.   Some people just go back to the same place over and over. That is not me.  I truly believe that it is better to go to new places. But when a place really speaks to you, treat yourself back to it.  Going back is the treat. Going to a new place is the imperative.   I believe that makes sense.

This coming year, I really am hungering to go to Iceland, Portugal, and Alaska. I shall see which I eventually go to. I also want to go back to New Orleans. I used to go once a year but then life got a bit more complicated out west. But even if I were to not go abroad to a new place, I can certainly seek out a new local location. The goal is to seek newness and adventure. To seek a new lens on life. To seek ways to not fall into a rut.

You have to be in it to win it…that’s what I keep saying to myself.  Let’s have some fun this new year.

Cheers