#8: What's wrong with Tuesday?

As the first month of the new year is coming to a close, I find it the perfect time to reflect on all the "new years resolutions" that have been set at the end of 2024, and most importantly how many of those "resolutions" are still active and not abandoned? Waiting for that one special day when the calendar magically turns to the next page to start something has always puzzled me, more specifically the attitude towards the "magic powers" of a new years resolution. I was always of the opinion - what's wrong with right now? Let me take a step back and explain.

My colleagues have been asking me for years how did I stick with cold showers for so long, considering how cold the water in winter and how did I improve my speech so much that those who remember me from 20 years ago barely recognise me now? My answer to them is similar every time - I made a decision, and committed myself to that decision. It did not matter what day of the week it was, or which month - I made the decision in that moment. Think about it - which time should we appreciate the most of? What has passed already? What is yet to come? The time we live in right now? I'll borrow an expression from someone I know who keeps repeating "today is my favourite day" which at first I did not understand, but after a while it struck me - we only live in the present, and as important as it is to plan for the future, history tells us the future can be unpredictable, so the only time we can truly be in control of our decisions and emotions and results is RIGHT NOW. All these years ago I have committed myself to the path of overcoming stammer and my anxiety when speaking, to conditioning the mind to not react when teaching classes and presenting, and that commitment has taken me on a long journey of pushing through willpower and often feeling lost; however along that journey I saw noticeable results not because it was some "magic day" of the year or a change in the calendar, or my birthday, or a sunny Monday, or a rainbow, or some other day we make a fuss about; but ONLY because of the effort that has been put every single day into that decision!?

Imagine if you did not wait until Monday to start something, and decided that NOW is the best time to start. Decided to start going to the gym? How about getting the membership TODAY and starting the same day! Decided to change your lifestyle and the way you eat? When is a better time to do so than RIGHT NOW?

Remember that big plans and goals have to be tackled daily, knowing often you will feel like you have not generated enough progress towards those goals; however it is in those moments when it is EVEN more important to remind yourself of WHY you are doing it and carry on! Years ago I made a decision not to fuss over birthdays or bank holidays - instead to seize every moment I can, and that approach has pushed me forward, and still is! So why wait until new year? What's wrong with Tuesday?