2025-What If?

Jan 13 min read

My dear friend Marianne texted me today, to tell me her new year's resolution – seems she is going to finally work her way through my “Take the Thank You Challenge” book.

I am going to join her in this resolution!

It’s been 20 years since I wrote that book, and subsequently recorded my own 1,095 reasons to be thankful.

I have thought about it, working daily through my book again. This year I WILL do it.

I am 100% sure that it will be easy for me to keep this resolution. Not just because the book is easy to follow, and not even because it will be fun for me to revisit something I wrote many years ago, BUT because I know my friend is doing the same.

There is something undeniably powerful about teamwork. Even for us creative recluses.

After I texted Marianne back about this, I got to wondering about how many of us, over the past few years, (perhaps without even realizing it) have slipped away from asking for one another’s support.

The past four years on planet earth, worldwide, have not been easy. I don’t need to remind you of that. We have all lived through it.

Some dear friends of mine are still living through it. (I am thinking especially of my friends and family in Ukraine, in Africa, and in the Middle East, and those of us who have recently lost loved ones or been diagnosed with terminal illness).

Even many of us in the U.S.A. are carrying the residual of this multi-year siege, some of us are still reeling from the result of the elections, and concerned that more trouble is yet to come. And some are regretful about, and wondering how to mend broken relationships that happened during all of the political and social unrest.

Troubles come and troubles go – that’s life. BUT when troubles multiply, and stay much too long, we humans have a tendency to grow weary, and to shift into survival mode.

In survival mode, making plans and attempting resolutions can seem way to much trouble to attempt. And even the plans we do make, it seems easier to stay alone in our efforts.

Some dear people here and abroad are still deep in the middle of it all, to the point that they have little choice but to remain in survival mode, focusing their attentions on food, shelter, and safety for themselves and their families. They cannot think about new year's resolutions. And they deserve our compassion, and our financial or other support. Let us not be weary in our resolution to do good for them.

AND let us not allow weariness to rob us of doing good for ourselves! Let’s make those resolutions! Let's make plans to help others, AND plans for our own joy. Let’s stir up our hearts to action. And let’s lift one another up, encourage one another, motivating one another to see our resolutions through to fruition.

WHAT IF this year, 2025, we find a way to support one another’s worthy resolutions?

True, only I can (and only you can) be the one to accomplish whatever is on my (or your) heart to do. BUT it is also true that a shared load is easier to carry, and that encouraging words have the power to motivate action, and to sustain forward motion.

I’m not sure how we might decide to go about this. But I think it’s a great idea!

I can't help but imagine how awesome it will be, on December 31, 2025, to say to the person(s) who are supporting me in my quest, that “I did it!!! ... I finally did it!!"

What joy that will be to my heart. And to my peeps.

WHAT IF we do this?

What do you think?

I would love to hear from YOU!

Will you be brave to share with us, or with someone, what is your 2025 resolution?

AND

HOW do you think we can put this into practice? How can we support one another towards a record number of our worthy (small or great) resolutions being accomplished this year?

Yes, I will share with you my resolution(s), also….BUT, first I want to hear from you!

Here’s to a Brilliant, Bold, Bountiful 2025, and to all its possibilities of Benevolence and Beauty.