Many of us begin a New Year by reflecting on the past and meditating about the future. We look at the past year and see the things we’ve neglected as well as the things we’ve accomplished.

Reflecting can make us feel successful or discouraged.

We might look at the list we made the year before and check off the things we’ve finished, or we look at what’s been untouched and sigh.

Regardless of what we’re feeling, the ball drops every year in New York City, and suddenly we have a new beginning.

We begin making plans about how we want to live out this New Year and have every intention to make it better than last year.

I think, however, that must of us know there’s nothing magical about going from December 31st to January 1st.

Still, each year looking at a new calendar gives me a sense that I have a second chance at doing all the things I didn’t do well or get done in the previous year.

It is a new beginning.

I’ve had many new years, and each year I have written my goals, dreams, and desires. With age, my perspective has changed.

The tangible things on my list are few. It’s become more about my internal desires. Behavioral changes are at the top of my list
of goals and desires.

I pray and ask God for His help to make the changes. I know that the way I act comes from the way I think, so I renew my thoughts by meditating about God’s thoughts towards me. Some of the things I think about are:

• What are God’s plans for me this year?
• What are the internal changes I need to make?
• What hinders me from reaching my full potential?
• What is it I need to overcome instead of dragging it through another whole year?
• What can I change to be more accepting of others?
• What are my self-centered motives?

Most of the things are internal and MY responsibility. I cannot depend on someone else to make these changes for me.

With each change we make, we can experience new beginnings that satisfy.

One of my “new year” disciplines has been to write ten desires or goals.

A desire is something that is longed for and often requires someone else’s engagement. A goal is something you can achieve mostly by your efforts alone.

Our goals will take effort and discipline to achieve them.
Our desires will take patience and hope to realize them.

Setting goals and desires keep us on a path of growth and challenge us to become “more” in our lives.

Otherwise, we stay in our comfort zone year after year, and nothing ever changes. We do the same things over and over again, never thinking to create a new story. Our routines have created boredom.

Being comfortable keeps us from enjoying “firsts” and new beginnings.

Maybe it’s fear or simply not noticing opportunities that keep us from experiencing a new adventure.

We can be so focused on our goals and dreams that we never notice the small opportunities all around us.

Creating firsts in our lives is not limited to experiencing some extreme adventure, taking an exotic vacation, or going to our first football game.

Firsts can be things like:

• Connecting with someone in your neighborhood
• Taking a different route to work
• Noticing someone in the grocery store and reaching out
• Doing anything out of the ordinary that may be way out of your comfort zone

These types of “firsts” create new beginnings out of small unexpected acts of kindness that feed and satisfy the soul.

Feeling alive can be found in the daily interactions with those you love, or it could be connecting with a total stranger.

When you have these moments, it can feel grand and glorious but no one may notice except you.

We can experience new beginnings by simply being open to an idea that may pop into our mind out of nowhere.

Jeremiah 29:11 gets quoted so much that I feel like I have missed the real message. It says, “For I KNOW the plans I HAVE for you.”

It’s not about “MY PLANS I HAVE FOR HIM.”

Very often, we focus on what MY plans are and don’t stop to consider what HIS plans are. I find His plans often take me by surprise. My plans may take me down a dead-end street to disappointment and dissatisfaction.

Recently, I was visiting my granddaughter at an Auntie Anne’s store in the mall where she was working, but we got there, and she was missing in action. She had called in sick.

I planned to visit, chat a minute with her and Auntie Anne’s employees, give hugs, and leave. (My plan.)

I decided to go shopping instead. As I was paying, I ask the cashier a simple question, “So, how are you feeling today?”

She looked at me and said, “I’m going through a rough time, it’s just tough, and I don’t know what I should do.”

I asked a simple question, and her response prompted me to listen intently to her heart.

As I listened, I did something I had never done before in my entire life (A first.)

I heard a song that morning called The Goodness of God. Without hesitation, I said to her, “Oh, I have the perfect song for you.”

As I’m looking for the song on my phone, I suddenly realized playing a song may be inappropriate, so I asked her if it would be ok to play the song while she’s working. She responded, “Of course!”

Instantly she began crying as the song played and said, “Turn the volume up.”

Together we listened and wept through the entire song. She commented, “God brought you here today.” (His plan.)

In the middle of a department store, this young Lady was silently crying out for help. I felt her cry and stopped long enough to encourage her.

This story is a tiny example of a “first,” but it gave me so much joy. I felt happy for the rest of the day.

I know my example seems very small, but it is not insignificant. Instead of fretting, pouting, and whining when our plans fail, think about considering God’s plan. He’s always ready to put His plan into action.

There are “firsts” that will be monumental in your life and may take your breath away, but don’t take away the importance of the smaller moments. Either way, stepping into the world of “firsts” takes courage.

We look for the big accomplishments and make goals that, at times, are unreachable and neglect the smaller goals that are entirely within our reach.

I want to think we can practice doing firsts on a small scale to give us the courage then to do the bigger firsts.

This year as you think about New Year’s resolutions, include in your list to look for opportunities for “firsts.”

Implementing new beginnings is a matter of the heart.

Instead of waiting to see what the year will bring, tune into your heart daily so you can experience satisfaction and fulfillment. Remember to pay close attention to the internal rather than looking outward for satisfaction.

May this year be full of “firsts” and new beginnings for you.