Positive intentions for new year

We belt it out in the pubs (or perhaps hum it quietly as we watch the fireworks on TV) every New Year, but do we know what 'auld lang syne' means? And more importantly, what can we learn from it?

A song synonymous with seeing in the New Year, “Auld Lang Syne” was originally a Scottish poem by Robert Burns that was later set to music. The phrase “auld lang syne” translates literally to “old long since” in English and means something akin to “times gone by.”

Traditionally a drinking song, 'we'll take a cup o' kindness', Britannica.com suggests the poem is about 'old friends having a drink and recalling adventures they had long ago'. Drinking and talk of new year goals aside, there is no doubt the start of the new year is often a good time to look back over the past 12 months and review what went well, remember our happy times and celebrate our successes.

This kind of positive affirmation helps us to feel good about ourselves and helps to chart our progress.
And 'progress' doesn't have to have seen us pulling up trees, metaphorically or otherwise.

Perhaps you set a goal to walk to the shops instead of taking your car and now it's become a healthy habit you do more often than not.

Perhaps you decided you wanted to read more books, learn how to make puff pastry from scratch or turn off your phone an hour before bedtime.

Perhaps you took on the Three Peaks.

Whatever the size of your 'win', see it for what it is - a change for the better, a goal achieved - progress!
Toasting our successes is a positive action but there is also a school of thought that says we should embrace all of our past experiences, good and bad - new year or not.

If we only examine what we did well, we run the risk of missing out on valuable life lessons. The adage of 'if at first, you don't succeed, try, try again' (famously attributed to another famous Scot - Robert the Bruce) can teach us resilience, perseverance and patience.

Looking at our mistakes through a non-critical lens can mean the difference between forging ahead, and making the same mistakes over and over again.

We're all a work in progress, so, if you're on a mission to make meaningful, personal improvements this new year and feel like there is a hill to climb, to coin another phrase 'try and fail but don't fail to try'. So many of us set almost unachievable targets, only to lose the drive and the will to carry on when completing the task becomes overwhelming.

Whatever your aspirations for the coming year, keep it simple, and instead of shooting for the stars, set small, achievable goals.

Let's say you want to walk 6,000 steps a day - walking up a flight of stairs instead of taking the lift can help you get there.

If you work from home and feel isolated, pick up the phone and have a conversation with a colleague instead of emailing. (A friendly phone call with anyone can help beat loneliness - it doesn't have to be a work situation).

Ditch those New Year resolutions and instead write a wish list to do more of the things that make you happy. That might be as simple as going for a walk on the beach or spending quality time with people you love.

As we enter the new year, maybe this is the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself to look ahead with good intentions and a positive attitude because who knows what adventures await?
We'll raise a cup of kindness to that.