Today, Friday 12 January is apparently, 'Quitter's Day'. Top marks to whichever PR Exec coined that delightfully negative phrase. Supposedly, it's the day that we all give up on our New Year's resolutions. The day that the chocolate biscuits go back in the trolley, Dry January begins to develop exceptions, and the gym membership starts to look like an avoidable expense. Have you been there? I know I have.
I am, by nature, an optimist, which is why I love New Year's Day. The lure of a blank page is irresistible – 365 of them (366 this year!) - bring it on! This year, I swear to myself, will be different.
But then life comes along and (metaphorically speaking) 'pi**es on your chips' and our joy and optimism is replaced with disappointment, shame, anger.... [insert your self-flagellation emotion of choice here].
Revelation
I had a quiet revelation a few days ago. It was a whispered thought that landed on my shoulder as I was hammering away at my keyboard early one morning desperately trying to get my words written before I had to start work. The thought was: 'Every day is New Year's Day.'
So, there is no 'Quitter's Day'. There is only today, and I, you, get to greet that day as a deliciously blank page every, single day of the year. Today marks my twelfth straight day of writing every morning before work, before travelling (while travelling) and before family days. I’ve written late at night too just to hit my daily word count.
I will run out of energy at some point, we all do. Life will get in the way and I will 'break the chain' of this new habit, but it won't be a failure, it will be a rest. And once I've rested, I'll start again - because, my lovelies, every day is New Year's Day.