Start Your Year Right

By Lev Novak

Let me guess; you’re hungover.

That’s the classic, after all. Turn on the Twilight Zone marathon and fill yourself up with liquids. Have some toast and some apple juice and just vibe out.

But, when you’re ready, come back. We’re going to talk about your year.

Back? Awesome. Let’s rock it.

See, I had a crummy 2013. But the good news? The past is the past, if you let it be. So it’s 2014; two-thousand and fourteen. That’s the future. Nobody in the world has had this year yet; it’s open to you, and that freedom can be scary, but it can also be exciting. So what are you going to do?

1. Review The Year That Was

No, not the year-end albums review; it’s time to look back at the year that you had. If you can, remember everything that happened in the past year. There’s probably more than you thought. People, as a general rule, have short memory spans, and the farther back we go, the less real things feel. Thing that happened last March feel a lot less solid than November, for example, but it’s important you not mis-weigh the past. Really get in there.

Think of the good. Think of the bad. Don’t focus on change now; focus on patterns.

For example, I did this myself and I found out that my anxiety over things was ultimately a lot worse than the things I was anxious about. I also, on the good side, found that I did a good job of not drinking to excess- I’m barely hungover today- and that I was at my happiest when I was with people.

It’s important to know yourself, because ultimately you’re in charge of your own happiness. If you know yourself you can discern what is and isn’t a priority. You might think that you’ll be happier if you do X Y or Z resolution, but a different resolution might make more sense for you. I’m not resolving to go the gym; I’m resolving to see friends more often and not to worry so much. It’s a simple resolution for some, and it isn’t earth-changing for me, but that’s the resolution that’s going to do the most for me in the long run.

2. Enjoy

Why keep the celebration to one day and one (hangover) after? It’s the future! Keep it going.

January is a bland, annoying month. So why stop at New Year’s Eve? Make a series of fun resolutions for yourself. I resolve to see “Her,” “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Saving Mr.Banks” this month- that’s not a self-improvement thing, but I’ll be happier if I do them. Plus, I can check them off a list.

Doesn’t that sound nice? Make a list of what you want to do- not this year, but in the “bleh” eight weeks that lead to spring- and enjoy them. Why should one night get all the fun?

Make a list of albums you want to listen to. Make a list of shows and movies to see. Find restaurants that sound good, and sweep your friends up into the whole thing.

Starting your year right never sounded better.

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