Beginnings Or Continuing
If You Are Willing
Happy New Year!
I have always enjoyed the beginning of a new school year, either as a student, a teacher, an administrator, or a consultant. And, of course, I enjoy the beginning of a new calendar year. For me, it enables a reflecting of the past year and the hopes and dreams of the new year. This entering of the new year of 2026 provides a new “bucket" of hopes, dreams, and wonder.
Here are some quotes to ponder, to muse about:
“New Year’s Day is a good time to fix one’s eyes on the only way to begin the year as we should: in humility.” – Elisabeth Elliot
“Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.” – Alfred Lord Tennyson
“We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws but for potential.” – Ellen Goodman
“No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.” – Buddha
“The new year is a time to reflect on the things that matter most.” – Unknown
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
For me, the first step before using my hope and creating my dreams is reflecting back on the last year. I probably don’t spend enough time on this, however, I do spend some time. I have found making a list of successes of goals attained is important. Also I think about what items on my list of goals I should continue… revise… or throw out, as the perspective I have now is showing I do not need that goal.
Here are some questions to ask yourself as you jump into the new year:
What did I accomplish in 2025 that was an important goal? What were your criteria for figuring out if it was important?
What goal did I think I wanted, however, it changed over the past year?
How did I interact with myself last year? What are the messages I continued to say to myself? Were they helpful? What might I change?
How did I interact with others last year? Was I authentic, kind, courageous, empathetic? Or do I need to listen more and speak less?
What are my most important goals for 2026? Would they be described as humanistic, meaning emphasizing human dignity, potential, and growth?
In observing people last year, can you think of at least 3 times when someone worked hard on adding positive thoughts and actions to our culture? Can you think of 3 times when you did the same?
How will you use your creativity this year of 2026?
Those are just some ideas to ponder about our new year of 2026.
Wishing you Love, Compassion, Peace, and Good Health,
Debbie Havert
Resource for Quotes: