“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose, new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Years resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.”
Gilbert K. Chesterton
I must admit, I was at a loss for words when sitting down to write this month’s editorial. I never really made any New Year’s resolutions that I can remember. I never felt the need to pick one day of the year to make a goal to change or tackle something. I felt that this should be done throughout the entire year.
However, in 2018 I purchased a phone case that pictured Mt. Everest. I had a goal in mind — in 2019 I was going to climb my Everest. I did not account for the preparation that goes into a climb. First of all, I wasn’t even sure where Mt. Everest was located. I had to google it. I was starting from a different continent with a huge ocean between me and the mountain. I had to find a way to get there. Once you arrive, you don’t just start climbing. There is trip preparation, including purchasing all your equipment and food. Then there is a hike of a week or so just to get to the Base Camp. “OK, I am here, let’s go!” Not quite. You have to spend several days acclimating. There are four base camps to pass through before you reach the summit, and you have to stop at each one for several days. They say it takes 60 days for the entire trip. This is not a day hike that can be conquered and checked off the list of “been there and done that” in a hurry.
As I check in on where I am on my personal Everest climb, I am disappointed that I did not make it farther in a year. I cannot say, “Yes! I did it!”
If I look at what goes into each step, the planning and the action, I see something bigger, something more delicate — balance. Balance between, on the one hand, wanting to go after something big and, on the other hand, building the knowledge and preparing for the adventure. And most of all, enjoying the process.
I never liked the saying, “It is not the destination, it’s the journey.” I always wanted to get to my destination. I am no longer in a hurry to get anywhere. I am where I want to be — moving forward at my own pace. I still dive in head first, without planning, and then I get told to take a seat for a while. I get back up. As far as my own Everest journey, I am at the base camp. Excited and scared of the climb. Too much time and money invested to turn back around. Nothing to lose if I give it a shot, so onward I go.
I chose monthly themes for Bella to provide cohesiveness on the information shared, an inspiration for the writers, and an opportunity for the advertisers to customize their messages to the theme. Originally January was the medical issue. I am completely ignorant of the medical field. All I know is I spend a lot of time in doctor’s offices and hospitals for one reason or another. I greatly admire the medical profession and thank all of you out there who choose to serve others in this area.
I sat down and went over all of the articles that were submitted and was floored by the direction this issue went in — Health and Wellness. There is a beautiful overall paradigm shift happening. Medicine isn’t what it used to be. Resolutions are not what they used to be. Balance and Purpose have taken the stage. Here are a few of my favorite quotes in this issue, quotes that moved me. Bella’s writers have the spark to start out your new year.
“… We are all misfits and rebels. The ones who stand up for others and sing out loud. The makers of paths and peace. Those who have messy hair and leave muddy footprints. The ones who think about things. The ones who are kind beyond reason. The ones who make choices according to their hearts.”
One’s level of wellness is often the answer to why the very ill can be so happy while someone who has everything can feel so down. “When the role we thought gave us value changes, our value as a human being does not need to change. We just have to figure out what our new purpose is.”
“Discipline is self mastery, and it takes heart, effort, and will to complete. It’s matching your actions to your beliefs. Discipline makes the difference between greatness and mediocrity.”
“As we enter a new year I challenge you to resolve to live life on purpose. Live life fully, today.” “It’s time for a paradigm shift. Let 2020 be your year of foresight. Foresight is now 2020.” “Remember these self-improvement stories so that your 2020 will contain less baggage and more ways to B-positive.”
Be well, be blessed, and be balanced this year. Honor the process and find joy in the journey.
