How's It Going So Far?

Almost two months in; how's it going so far? Two out of the twelve months; one-sixth of a year. I'm a teacher of math and well as you can see, we are working on equivalent fractions, or some would say simplifying fractions, depending on the unit and grade level. In teaching, we try to reach our students by connections; make it real for them, in hopes of answering the age old question, we asked when we had the view from the other side of the teacher's desk..."why do I need to learn this?"; or lamenting, "I'm never going to use this, I'm going to be a firefighter, a ballerina, President of the United States, I won't need to simplify fractions or find equivalent ones!". I won't go onto the teacher talk; instead I'll just say however you want to slice it; you've enjoyed a piece of the 2018 pie, how's it taste so far?

It's in my nature to help others to visualize or see things in different ways; or find that way they've been looking for to consider something they're facing. Anyway, no matter how we look at it, two months have almost marched past us; where are you in your 2018 hopes, dreams, goals, or whatever you might have committed to for the year?

I finally decided this year that January1st has much, too much, pressure for me. It's not that I'm exhausted after staying up from watching the ball drop in Times Square; or from going through an inventory of what I want to change about myself or my life to make an obligatory resolution, I'm just tired of feeling the pressure of January!

First of all, I love, absolutely love, the Christmas season and all that goes with it. Maybe part of my disdain for January is that it all comes to a great halt. Back to school the day after New Year's Day, taking the decorations down; of course, I use religion class as my excuse to keep things up in the classroom until January 6 so I get a few days back to have the glow of the tree and festive feel still in the classroom.

What I realized this year, more than ever, what sucks the season out of all of us, is the commercials of January. We go from those happy commercials of jingly songs, festive colors, talking M&M's and Santa, caroling of the bells by Hershey kisses, and although she seemed to have retired, the lady in the red outfits who made Christmas shopping at Target one of the most desired activities of the season. Then all of a sudden it is the bleakness of the January ads, showing side views of people that we'd rather not see; seeing sleek and fit people, in tight fitting gym clothes, with big huge smiles, touting all the answers to our feeling overstuffed and sluggish from the holidays problems. These commercials are also done on a bleak canvas that is void of colorful lights and anything cheerful!

Let's be realistic we all know these commercials were not just made; there is no way anyone who has even an ounce of Christmas spirit is going to look like that days after Christmas! We know these were recorded around the same time you were probably sitting on the beach feeling pretty good about your swimsuit self! So as I watched the heartwarming commercials amidst the decorating, wrapping, cooking, and baking; I started to think about how they would be whisked off the air and replaced with these bleak days of January ads. That got my mind going, the little space of it that wasn't tied up with Christmas to-do lists for both school and home.

In that little space I thought, wait why do I do this to myself every year? The funny part is I rarely gain any holiday weight during the festive days because I am either too busy to partake much of all the goodies or I burn off those extra calories in climbing chairs and ladders to hang decorations or in my mad dash in and out of the car around town to get that just right gift! I actually gain my holiday extra after the fact. The week after Christmas Day and into the first week of January when I can finally sit and exhale and partake in the treats! So I thought not this year!! I'm not going to let those bleak commercials ruin my time, not going to put the pressure on myself and bad feelings of having broken yet another resolution before the middle of January. I gave myself January off! Well I didn't actually take the month off, but instead I decided I wouldn't put that pressure on myself, would go against the masses and coast into the new calendar year and start my real new year in February!

So in February I've worked to reclaim a few things for me, define how I want to change in 2018, and work on me on my own terms! I haven't been 100% successful, but I've come close on many things! I was able to enjoy my January without that resolution guilt hanging over my head and I tuned out the new you commercials as much as I could, deleted all the here's another new thing to try in 2018 emails, and didn't look at the ads (including Target...and that was a tough one) to see all the powders, bars, pills, and exercise equipment I should be buying in January. It provided me some time, time to wrap up the holiday season, get back in the swing of the after holiday days and take on me.

I took on 2018 on my own terms; and anyone that knows me will vouch that was a big feat in itself for me! I haven't perfected the February new year, but I'm working on it! That extra month gave me time to look at my experiences, my triumphs, my failures, and all the things that made me me at the time. I was able to start to visualize the, 2018 version and beyond, me and start looking at ways to fit into that me. It wasn't what the January commercials would tell me that me should look like by spring; or the me that all the January issues of magazines offered in how to become the best version of me that they imagined for their readers; but instead it gave me time to dare to imagine a me, that I have time to work at fitting into.

While February might not be the first month on the new calendar; the bargains on diet aids, and exercise equipment are over, you still might want to give it a try. Isn't it a good month to start? It's one known for celebrating love; so share some of that love that you dote on others and give some to yourself! Let's not forget Groundhog Day is in February too! When I hear that, I don't really think so much of Phil and his prediction; but rather the movie that, while a great comedy, serves an important lesson up, sometimes we just need a few rewinds to get it right!

So how are you doing so far in 2018? If you made resolutions and kept them, kudos to you and I envy your strength and self-control to jump right in on January 1! If you're struggling a bit or gave up, we are still in the month of Groundhog Day, rewind and give yourself a redo, it's ok, don't look as one-sixth of the year has passed, look forward, you still have five-sixths ahead of you (my students would tell you that five-sixths is a bigger piece of the pie than one-sixth any way!). Shall I say the tried and true, better late than never? There's time, take advantage of the hustle and bustle and exhaustion of the holidays being behind you; the new year has begun, maybe on a shaky ground of uncertainty; but love yourself enough to look ahead. Now that the commercials aren't selling you, the magazines aren't suggesting and advising from the shelves; embrace a new year!

What did you bring with you from 2017 or further back that you wish you would have left behind? What do you want to bring with you on the journey ahead? What do you know about yourself already this year? What do you wish you would have started? What can you see for yourself in 2018? Whatever your answers are; start your new year now! Get your party hat, champagne, and toast to a you that you dare to imagine!