I was picking up my kids from school and saw a marquee for a restaurant that said “New Years Goals: 366 Margaritas”
It took me a couple days passing the sign for it to sink in…. Oh yeah! It’s a leap year in 2024! So we have 366 days in 2024!
I’ve been thinking, what a fun way to re-think the New Year! I adored the glimmers post that was published recently. If you haven’t read it, you can read it here.
We are already halfway through, even coming to the end, of the first month of the year. There are so many amazing movements focused in January like Dry January, Veganuary, and my personal favorite the 30 day yoga journey with Yoga with Adriene.
But what if we kept those month-long practices going throughout the whole year?
It’s just another 330-ish days! OK, I’ll admit that that sounds like a lot when you think about it being THAT big of a number.
But what if it is not such a big number? What if your new year goal was to hug your child or partner every day? That’s only 366 hugs. It sounds kind of small when you think of it in that way, right? I know there are days when life is busy and I do not hug my spouse, maybe just a quick kiss on the cheek… well, sometimes not even that. Even with the best intentions, those small moments of connection slip through our fingers.
The fact that this is a leap year also holds a special place in my heart, since my spouse proposed to me on February 29, 2008. We always joke that it’s an easy anniversary to remember, since it only happens every 4 years. With birthdays, extracurriculars and school spirit dress up days – it really is hard to remember everything! Every February 29th, my husband and I take a moment to do something special together (sometimes with an infant in tow.) We like to recap how our relationship started, blossomed, and what goals we’d like to accomplish together in the future. It gives us a moment to reflect and recommit to each other – just as we excitedly committed to each other back in 2008. We don’t need a fancy or extravagant vow renewal ceremony, instead, just an intimate moment together without distractions to focus on what is most important to us.
I love to use a leap year as an opportunity for reflection. In the same way some people have 1 year, 5 year, and 10 year goals – I prefer 4 year chunks. It may just be easier for me to think in 4 year chunks because literally so much happens and changes with kids in 4 years. There is such a vast difference between a 1 year old and a 5 year old. Oh my heart, when I think that my oldest is 12… when just 4 years ago they were 8. Let’s not forget March 2020! It’s hard to believe that the first wave of pandemic life started almost 4 years ago! So much can change in 4 years.
As we enter into 2024 with an extra day, what do you plan to do with that extra 24 hours?
PS – it’s totally OK to not have a plan, or just have the mindset to keep on keeping on. Looking at the parents in the thick of the infant stage with little sleep – I see you. I know it’s hard. It seems so all consuming in the moment, but it will [eventually] pass. If it feels too much, please know you are not alone. There is help available. Please do not ever be afraid to ask for it!
