Dear President-Elect Trump:
Tomorrow is New Year’s Day. For many, it’s a time of renewal—a time of recommitment and to improve.
Most of us make resolutions that we never keep—at least not for long. We expect our failure at the very moment that we resolve to do better. I don’t claim to be any different. Making, and breaking, new year’s resolutions are the twin companions of the new year.
I wonder if it would be different—if we would keep our resolutions—if we added a component that we often miss. It’s the component of letting go of the habits, thoughts, and attitudes that prevent us from hanging onto our new year’s goals.
It’s an ancient thought found both biblically and in ancient China. The Bible reminds us that we cannot serve two masters. The Chinese principle of yin yang represents the belief that everything in the universe consists of two forces that are opposing but complementary. For example, overeating is the rival, complementary force to eating a balanced diet. Or, stated differently—we cannot serve the master of overeating and healthy eating at the same time.
Rather than spending New Year’s Eve solely with parties and, let’s approach it differently. Let’s use New Year’s Eve as a source of self-reflection, a time when we identify the behaviors and attitudes of which we need to let go, freeing our hands, mind, and heart to hold something better. Doing so will improve our odds of actually holding on to new year’s resolutions.
When we celebrate tonight, let’s celebrate not only the year we’ve just ended but also the habits and attitudes we’ve decided to leave behind.
Then, maybe, we will have freed our hands, our minds, and our hearts to hold on to something more in line with who we desire to be.
Sincerely,
David O. Leavitt
