1. New Year

The New Year is wonderful. I fully admit to being one of those people who waits until the New Year to start something new (as evidenced by the fact I decided to restart Silvertrove a month ago but waited until today to actually do anything.

What I love most about the New Year is the sense of redemption and renewal that comes with it. The mistakes we've made, the bad habits we've developed, the tempers we've lost - these are all things we can change. It's a clean slate. Sure, we can actually change these behaviors at any point in the year, but most of us (myself absolutely included) need some sort of factor to help us feel motivated to change. And that's what the New Year is. It's a small, man-made distinction -- a title -- that acts as a catalyst for change. 

In a small, material way, it reminds me of baptism and partaking of the sacrament. They are physical manifestations of the changes we are trying to make. The acts themselves don't physically change us, but they give us the means and the motivation to change ourselves. They change our souls.

So here's to a New Year that helps you and I become our better selves. May we take this opportunity to do more get, kick those bad habits, start positive routines, and just generally improve our lives.