Jan 14

Jan 14 Resolution or Continuation?

We did it. We made it around the sun again. It’s a funny thought that we celebrate so heartily our planet’s ability to perform its normal course, as if it were our own triumph, despite the fact that we seem to be doing all we can to halt its progress. We’re an interesting creature.

But anyways, as we celebrate another passing year (itself a totally arbitrary measurement) we often feel as if it is also a turning of a page in our own individual lives. Days are beginning to get longer and warmer (at least for those of us in the north) and it feels quite natural to take it as a new season in our life as well. And with that new season, a chance for changes, new experiences, or a “new you” as many marketing campaigns will cheerfully declare.

These “Resolutions” have become a bit of a punchline and a monument to human resilience and self control (or lack thereof). Gyms fill up with newly invigorated resolutioners, heads full of fitness goals and Instagram model inspiration. Of course the majority of those will be nowhere to be found in a month or two once the novelty wears off and the mornings feel just a little bit too early. But that’s not where my wandering musings are taking me this time.

No, where my current pondering lies is in the idea and concept and draw of New Years Resolutions itself. I myself, even though I don’t feel much of a change in the calendar new year, do find my mind searching for new goals and changes I can make.

I actually wrote part of this and came back to it because I couldn’t quite put my thoughts together at first.

I think taking a break and coming back has given me more clarity and, actually, a more positive outlook on resolutions. I’ll be honest, historically I’ve looked at resolutions (and those who so loudly declare them) quite cynically. It seemed like it was all an act and I fully expected to see those same resolutions cast aside just a little bit down the road and out of the glow of social media likes and reassurance.

But maybe I’ve been looking at resolutions, and the simple act of taking time to make them, all wrong. I’ve seen them before as “New” things. “I want a new body.” “I want a new career.” “I want to start a new diet.” But what if, instead of “Resolutions” we look at them as “Reflection followed by Continuation”?

Now, I’ll allow that sometimes a completely new direction is what’s needed. “This career isn’t working. I need to scrap it and change fields entirely.” But even those cases, the thing ending isn’t you, it’s the direction you were heading or the nature of the relationship with a thing or person. You’re continuing on your journey as a human being after some needed reflection. I may be “resolving” to move on from something, but I’d rather look at it as adjusting my personal course in a better direction.

The thing I’ve come to appreciate most about “Resolutions” and the time of year associated with them, is that I’m forced (and any of you freelance video types will relate to this) to slow down and reflect. Days are short as they will be, work and projects disappear, clients who owe you money are out of the office.

All of this means that all I can do (aside from the initial freak out about lack of work) is spend time with myself and reflect. What do I want out of this year? Do I need to tweak my course or change it drastically? Or is it time to jump ship and swim to another?

My point is this. As much as I thrive on constant work and motion, this forced reset and reflection is entirely necessary to both my growth as an entrepreneur and filmmaker, and my growth personally as Galen Murray. I love what I do, but I’ll admit that it most definitely owns me, for better or worse, and times of reflection are key to my sanity.

So if this arbitrary time or “Resolutions” or, as I prefer to now think of it “Reflection and Continuation” is what it takes for me to step outside my self created rat race, well then I guess I’ll embrace it. And I think you should too.