HAPPY RENEW YEAR! By Donna Cramer

Happy New Year! No, the title is not a typo. I’m a few days late in wishing you a traditional Happy New Year, but the whirlwind of the holidays very much got away from me this year. “Got away from me” like a runaway horse, in fact! The days between Christmas and New Year sped by.

I’m not very big on New Year’s resolutions, and I know that most resolutions fade away or fail by early February. However, I do find the new year to be a time to renew, to take stock, and to contemplate how to better oneself and be happier and more fulfilled.

Following are some ideas I have for renewal in 2026. Maybe you agree with them, or maybe you have even better ones. Feel free to share them with me on the website—I would love to hear your thoughts!

1. I want to go to bed earlier and then get up earlier as a result. I think this could truly serve me and help me start the day more peacefully. I know that I enjoy beginning the day with a cup of hot, soothing coffee. Starting this routine earlier would allow me to sit and sip my coffee slowly, rather than beginning with a never-ending race to catch up to the day.

2. I want to meditate more consistently. I already know that meditation calms my mind, which often wants to run like a championship racehorse. Consistent meditation can help me connect to the here and now, and I am pretty sure it will lead to increased productivity.

3. I have dabbled with journaling for years, without consistency. I want to start writing daily. This could help me develop ideas for my blog. Also, I think that letting my thoughts flow freely might open my mind and allow the rest of the day’s writing to come unstuck—a warm-up, an oiling of the cogs, if you will.

4. I want to be more consistent with my morning exercise. Yes, it is often hard to roll out of bed, especially on cold winter days, but I know I have more energy and a clearer mind when I do. There is nothing like a yoga, spin, or Qi Gong class in the morning to focus both body and mind. When I exercise in the morning, I can feel the stress and overwhelm melt completely away.

   
   

These are just a few of my ideas to help us renew for our brand-new year.

I feel so much gratitude for all that I have, even now in this crazy world we find ourselves in. Maybe our lives do not need to be a frenetic race. Perhaps they do not have to be a race at all. Maybe a slow meander around the track of life will achieve more than the endless striving for first place.

I’m going to try it. It’s worth a shot!