Rites and goals at the beginning of the year

In Japan, Buddhist temples ring a bell 108 times to remove old accumulated desires and cleanse the spirit. In Denmark they break plates and cups at friends’ doors. In South Africa they throw furniture out of the window and in Ireland they throw bread against the walls. When waiting for the New Year, in Brazil they dress in white, in Italy they eat lentils to attract abundance and in Spain grapes accompany each of the twelve strokes of midnight. Colombians walk around the block with an empty suitcase and a lot of good humor to attract travel for the next 365 days.

At the beginning of each year, different rituals are performed around the world. Each country has its own, and all of them aim to erase the bad of the year that is about to end and attract fortune and happiness for the one that is about to begin.

Of course, it is also the time to make lists of resolutions and goals to achieve dreams or plans that have been postponed. It seems that it is important to make a parenthesis in time and that is why the energy of the beginning of the year is ideal, although forgetting the resolutions is quite easy to enter again into the routine of everyday life. It is necessary to have a goal, a strategy with priorities, and, undoubtedly, to have the effort and perseverance to achieve it. As with everything in life, some find it more difficult and others less so.

The ideal is to propose small short-term goals, as stepping stones or short steps to reach the final destination is bearable and, according to those who know the subject, it is good to reward yourself with a small pleasure or satisfaction every time you achieve a breakthrough. These rewards encourage us to move forward, and the simple fact of acting and trying gives us energy and the desire to continue.

A long road – just like a short one – begins with a first step. Thinking that we can be good at something without being perfect is not a bad way to start, and to move forward a little each day. Another suggestion is to keep an open mind to evaluate different alternatives and be receptive to the unexpected, although this is easy to say, doing it is another thing. Depending on our circumstances, it is important before starting not to make a drastic resolution to do this or that as an obligation; it is better to think about what I would like to do and how I can achieve it. All this advice is useless if we are not really convinced of what we want to undertake, even more so if our intention is to study a career, give up a vice or start a family.

On the other hand, if among your plans for this year is to update and renew the decoration and details of your home, at Snowdrop you will find that unique touch with our original handmade pieces and first-class service.