Lori flattened the first page of the diary back, her hand moving slowly over the blank page. There was something about the beginning of a new year, or even the first page of a new notebook, that filled her with a sense of optimism. There was something about the potential that blank pages seemed to contain, even pages that were already segmented with the days, weeks, and months that would make up another year.
On one level, Lori could appreciate that it was moments like the start of a new year that represented a temporal landmark to her mind. The lure of a fresh start was strong. It was the chance to draw a clear line between the past and all of its regrets, and to focus energy on the future instead. What kind of changes did she want to make in her life? And what steps would be needed to get there?
Lori reached out to extract the 2023 diary from its place on the corner of her desk. Pushing the new book aside, she turned instead to the early pages of the prior year’s diary. On the inside cover were her resolutions for the year ahead. They were neatly jotted under three sections: health, finances and lifestyle. Each section was further divided into specific actions that she had intended to take throughout the year. Some items had been ticked off; others had additional steps added in different ink throughout the year.
It was satisfying to see the progress that she had made over the course of a year. But when Lori turned once more to the new diary and its promise of a fresh start, she hesitated again.
What if, she wondered. What if I took a less structured approach to my life? For one year. 366 days. She could step away from the perpetual cycle of feeling compelled to list out areas to work on, experiences that needed to be notched up and shared with friends and family as evidence of her movement through the required life stages. Couldn’t she?
What would a year without specific goals look like? Would it be any different from other years? If structure had helped her to achieve various personal and professional goals, why would she step away from it? It was having a shape to her days and weeks that helped her to focus. But there was a part of her that wondered at the point of this perpetual to-do cycle. She was well-versed in setting smart goals with a mix of challenging and achievable steps. But what would her life look like with a little less shape?
Opening the new diary once more, Lori turned to the front cover and picked up her pen. Instead of the usual list of goals and aspirations, she wrote “2024 — Year of Discovery”. With a smile, she left the rest of the page blank, ready for whatever the year had to offer.
This piece was written to a prompt on the Writer’s Digest website. Resolution Refusal: your main character has decided not to take on any New Year’s Resolutions.
Photo: 2023 Diary
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