Keep Sweeping

I’m having a moment reflecting on the year — as so many of us are likely to do on the last day of December, feeling grateful and recharged to forge into the year ahead. Although it can be argued that tomorrow is “just another day”, there’s something neat and fresh about “the first of the first in a brand new year”. There’s absolutely no scientific reason for this if you believe time is a human construct. Will we be different people? No. Will all of our problems of this year automatically stay in the past when the clock ticks over? Probably not. Will next year be better or worse than this one? That’s a definite wait-and-see scenario.

But damn it all if I’m not a fan of a refresh.

There’s a stoic proverb that I really love that invites us in life to “keep sweeping”. The dust and dirt will always build up and we need to just sweep a little of it every day, regardless of reservations, insecurities or misgivings. This proverb can be applied to mental health, to large tasks that we need to chip away at, or even long-term goals that we wish to achieve. And even when we get there, the goal posts will keep moving. The work is never done, so we must keep sweeping and embrace the journey.

This year, I self-published my first book and have connected with a wonderful online community who enjoy reading and talking about books as much as I do. I also learned a great deal, and not just about how to navigate Kindle Direct Publishing, but about myself, my direct environment and the greater world. Some days I felt inspired to write, others I was struck with indecision fatigue and fuzzy focus that every attempt at writing inspired agitation and desperation to do anything else but sit and start writing.
Some days I nailed it, others I didn’t. And every night before bed, I was grateful that when tomorrow came, I could start over if I wanted to.

Every day is a mini refresh.

By all means, let’s envision long-term goals and plans that require chipping away and let’s just get down to work. A little each and every day. Some days we’re going to nail it, other days we won’t. All that matters is that we “keep sweeping”.

So, instead of holding onto any overused platitudes to “make 2025 your year” or to “take this year by the balls”, embrace the very real reality that every single year is your year, and maybe the simple act of getting out of bed each morning with a brave face even when you don’t want to is enough to constitute as (definitely not literal) ball-grabbing. This is your life and every year counts. Every day is a step closer towards something and a step away from something else. Any ray of sunshine will inevitably fade and every rain cloud can be left behind.

But the sun can always be counted on to come back.

I’m entering 2025 with my broom in hand. Who’s with me?

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Currently reading:
Mrs. Dalloway - Virginia Woolf

Currently listening to:
1234 - Feist