So last night you probably celebrated the beginning of a new year. Whether you had a braai and sat on the beach, went to a banging loud party or sat on your roof and watched fireworks, I know you probably had some sense of anticipation. Some kind of expectancy.

2015 might have been a year that challenged you. It could have been that season where you had to stretch further than ever before. Where things were tough, but you could see progress and you learnt a whole lot about yourself and the environment you are in. In that case, I hope you feel stronger for the next year ahead!

2015 might have been that year where everything all of a sudden came together. Finding that man of your dreams, landing that job, buying your first home or graduating with distinctions might have made it a memorable year. In that case, I hope you are grateful for all that has happened.

2015 might have been the year where everything fell apart. You might have lost a loved one or your job. You might have felt like you were in a downward spiral where nothing was good enough. You might end this year exhausted and deeply troubled. In that case, I hope you are expectant for greater things in the next season!

The thing with seasons are that they are all so different. There is nothing more clearly defined in our lives than the end of a year and the beginning of another. It is the ruler with which we measure our lives – our success and our downfalls. Our hopes and our doubts. As you take stock of your life for the next season, I pray that you are filled with gratitude, encouragement and hope.

These elements all culminate in the final hours before the countdown begins. Then you celebrate (whether you remember it or not) and then you crawl into bed.

Waking up the next morning, however, I have never been able to have that strange anticlimactic feeling of “now what”. You expected things to be different, but the sun is still shining, your room looks exactly the same and you probably don’t feel any different.

This is the moment when we can do one of two things (besides pull the covers over your head and sleep a bit more).

  • You can carry on doing what you have always done and forget about your hope, excitement and encouragement.
  • You can carry on doing what you have always done with a sense of fresh expectation for progress and new things to happen in the year.

Yes, it may seem subtle, but the slight difference of the second option could set you on a course that would take you miles further than if you stayed with the norm. You see, perspective at the beginning of any journey sets the tone for how that journey will go. As a child, I hated going on any long road trips with my family without first seeing the map. Once I knew the lay of the land and the distance that needed to be traversed, I was able to endure the long hours, hot sun and challenging sibling knowing that they were for a reason. My destination was not as clear as day, but I knew where it lay and was able to mentally prepare myself for the trip.

For your 2016, I hope that you have the same attitude. That you will enlarge your perspective so that you can dream bigger and believe for greater things, while still doing the day-to-day errands that construct what we know as life.

If you are struggling to see how this next year is going to be any better than the previous one. If you feel lost or left behind in life because you have compared yourself to others around you. I hope that the link below can give you some fresh hope. I believe it could be the deciding factor on how you do the journey that will be 2016. Happy New Year! Hope it is new every way!