Have a Nike New Year
Ah, new years and their inspiring resolutions. Resolutions to "change the world" and renew or give birth to a better year filled with the greener pastures only dreamed about the year before.
This is usually attempted through an unbalanced diet that after 4 weeks of doing, you become a ravage savage and feast on all the "fattening" no-no's of the current health fad. Maybe it's sought within the four walls of a sweat-drenched gym or just within the confines of work. But does every new year have to start out with insane life altering rhythms? Perhaps not, but should it end in a life altering rhythm? Absolutely.
There exists for each of us a love-hate relationship with A-typical NYR's - lose weight, stay in shape, be more successful. Those are great! But I want to abolish the hate and nurture the love in those goals. The way to achieve that success is by keeping it simple. Stick to the mantra of "Just Do It"...(thanks Nike for the catch phrase...Athena herself would be proud):
Athena was, not only my favorite of the Greek Gods, but a warrior and associated with the word "nike" which in Greek, means "Victory." A simple word with a thousand estuaries of flowing possibilities and periodic storm - victory should be like water. Often slow and steady but also insanely suffocating and challenging. Victory is how I think every new year should be viewed. For one, you made it to a new year. There are thousands of people and animals that die each day, be glad your not one of them. Victory.
Victory is seen in being given the gift of rebirth - a chance for a personal renaissance. Each day, not just for the month of January - but every morning, give yourself the space to breathe. The time to look. The energy to be an Athena is your modern day world.
Now, I know I lack the luster of an Athena figure- for one I don't have the shiny breast plate or the owl and dove fluttering about my presence. But I think that victory can be achieved in high measures by starting small.
I started small when the move to California brought with it the chance to become an artist. I'm hoping in this new year to grow that business, not necessarily in money but in talent, in challenge, and in form. To "Nike" my New Year is to not bog myself down with impossible NYR's but to simply wake up, take a breathe, look around, and begin the creative process of doing more with my life and my work than what I have.
So, here's to the New Year. May it bring suffocating challenges and a beautiful steady flow of wonderful possibility.
