A Happy New Year!?

A very happy new year to you, friends!

To be honest, I’ve been debating with myself about the best way to begin this, but here it is. I’ve said it—well, I’ve written it—but you get what I mean, right?

According to someone I spoke to this week, a very articulate and rather verbose lady, I must say - all attempts to wish others well for the new year are meant to end by the 12th of January. The 12th I wondered, (hmmmmm) … such an arbitrary date, but I dared not question it, she seemed like the lecturing type, and I was in no mood for a lecture. So, even though it is technically overdue, and at the risk of defying the logic and instruction of my unnamed critic, I still want to wish you a happy new year!

May 2025 be kind to you and your families. May you achieve all that you set out to do. As we enter the new year, my intention remains to improve in all facets of life. My greatest desire is to be a good human being. I think we should all try to do that in every situation we can. (The exception, perhaps, is when you’re offered unsolicited advice and reprimanded distastefully for wishing someone a happy new year.)

Recently, I was rewatching some of Matt D’Avella’s podcast videos on YouTube, and in one particular episode, they discussed a psychological phenomenon called “the fresh start effect.” If you're interested, there's a YouTube "short" on it. The concept is simple: when a significant temporal landmark occurs in life, such as the beginning of a new week, moving to a new country, or starting a new relationship, there's a greater propensity to take action toward goals. The landmarks mentioned included, but were not limited to, the start of a new year.

Seeing that we are at the start of a new year I deemed it necessary to not only remind you of this phenomenon but to encourage you to use it to your advantage. Make sure that you set realistic goals for this year, and progressively work at them until you achieve them.

Towards the end of last year, I set a goal for myself: to run a sub-20-minute 5K race. I’ve already begun training, and while the focus is on running more efficiently and faster, I’m already noticing several health benefits. I’m sleeping better, my appetite has improved, my muscle tone is more defined, and my breathing during runs has gotten easier. So, I’m definitely at the start of a new chapter. (No pun intended.)

Why am I sharing this with you? The point is, in the pursuit of any goal this year—whether it’s financial, spiritual, academic, physical, intellectual, or work-related—you never know what unexpected benefits or discoveries you might encounter along the way.

Euan

The Sweet Jam Journal:

Have you ever come across a song without seeing the artist or any of the instruments you just connected to the artistry? Josh Tesky of the Tesky brothers, an Australian group, was the most unlikely source of soul music, not just for me but for many music lovers around the world. He captured me with the raspiness of his voice. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but man you don’t drink tea to appreciate this. Have a listen to “Rain” by the Tesky Brothers. Enjoy!