Happy New Year.  What the heck does that even mean?  Am I just wishing you a happy 2019?  That’s not much is it?  In fact, that’s the very least I could wish for someone.  What I want is a Happy BRAND New Year.

Brand new is what we all actually strive for in the new year and what we usually end up with is just a new year.  The new year happens whether we want it to or not.  It’s going to be 2019 tomorrow and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.  On the other hand, a BRAND new year means something that has never happened before is happening.  So, in my usual way, I had to look up the difference between new and brand new.  Brand new usually refers to a product, something that is factory fresh, never been opened.  However, there are some, especially in urban dictionaries that refer to complete changes in behavior as brand new.

The reason I think people make and don’t keep resolutions is because it just seems to be a logical time to make them – it’s a new year so time for new behaviors.  But for an actual change to happen, to create a brand new behavior, it has to be a happy brand new year.  And maybe we need to wish each other a happy brand new year AFTER the behavior changes, not before.  Just thinking out loud here.

If however, you were to wish me a happy brand new year, my desire is to work towards becoming healthier, physically, spiritually and mentally.  Physically because I’m tired of not being able to do things I want to do, because moving around is uncomfortable sometimes, because I hate huffing and puffing doing things that should be easier.  Spiritually because I want to get deeper into my relationship with God. Mentally because I want to become tougher, more determined, less afraid.   Prayers of encouragement are appreciated.

At the same time, I want to wish you a brand new year as well.  What brand new thing do you want to do or want to be?  What would it take for you to achieve that?  Getting or doing something brand new means doing it in a way that’s brand new.  What is it they say about the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and hoping for something different? You and I cannot continue to live exactly the way we’re living and hope for a brand new way of life.

Doing something brand new may mean asking for help and getting over feeling stupid for doing so.  It may mean risking looking awkward for awhile.  It may mean risking feeling feelings or expressing feelings that are uncomfortable.  It is a time of being honest with ourselves and with others.  It means change, which is NEVER comfortable but may be completely necessary in the process to become brand new.

And during the process of working to become something brand new, I hope to become a kinder person as well, someone less selfish, less judgmental, not afraid to stop what I’m doing to help others.

So what happens if I screw up a week into my attempt to be someone brand new?  Well, the next day is a brand new day, isn’t it?  I don’t have to wait until the next new year to continue the work, do I?  Someone remind me of that, okay?

So here’s to that brand new job or brand new project.  Perhaps a brand new relationship, a brand new adventure, a brand new location or brand new education.  Maybe it’s dreaming a brand new dream and brand new strategies to make it a reality.  Wishing us all a Happy BRAND New Year!