New Year - Same Me

by Angela Sanford

While many people spend New Year’s Day setting resolutions and mapping out self-improvement plans, I tend to let superstition guide mine. There’s a long-held belief that whatever you do on New Year’s Day sets the tone for the year ahead, so I plan accordingly—and somewhat strategically.

For starters, all house cleaning must be completed before January 1st. I don’t want to risk inviting more cleaning into the year than absolutely necessary. I’m realistic enough to know that chores will happen regardless, but one can hope. At the very least, I make sure I don’t lift a mop or dust cloth on New Year’s Day itself.

Sleeping in is also high on the priority list, and this year I succeeded. In fact, it’s been a consistent habit since January 1^st.  It even dominated my Monday morning return to work, helped by the fact that I was working close to home and that the temperatures were well below zero!  Had I been scheduled at another school, I might have been slightly late but working at HNRH meant I could stay under the covers until the very last possible moment before heading back to work.

I came home from a New Year’s Eve adventure that managed to accomplish two things at once: I got to sleep in my own bed and enjoy a new experience shared with some family members.  That combination felt like the perfect way to cross into a new year.

I also made time to read—several uninterrupted hours, no less. The novel itself wasn’t particularly well written, but uninterrupted reading time is a gift in itself. Later that afternoon, I continued my annual tradition of watching The Sound of Music, hot drink in hand, staying warm and leaning fully into the comfort of the day – a tradition I began as a teenager.

I briefly considered the polar dip at Burntcoat, something I genuinely enjoy, but the wind quickly talked me out of it. I’m cold most of the time anyway, and the thought of wind-chill before even reaching the water was enough to deter me. Some traditions, it turns out, can take a year off.

To round out the day, I enjoyed one of my favourite home-cooked meals—meatloaf—which always tastes even better as cold leftovers, which I enjoyed on January 2nd. I also checked in with family and friends, even if only with a quick text, to wish them a Happy New Year.

So all in all, whether or not the year ahead truly reflects the choices I made on January 1st—rest, family and friends, comfort, and a bit of adventure—I had a wonderful day. And if superstition counts for anything, that feels like a pretty good place to start.