And then it descends. That dark cloud of doubt. We remember. We remember standing on the brink of all those new years that have gone before. We remember the excitement and the anticipation. And we remember what followed. Nothing, but the same old same old.
So what will be different this year? Anything? Something? Isn't it a waste to burn energy on excitement? Isn't hope a little pointless? Aren't we just setting ourselves up for disappointment if we expect this year to be any better than last year?
As humans, we have access to two things that make life nothing short of remarkable: hope, and the capacity for change. We can tap into both of those elements right now, and our excitement and enthusiasm for a great year does not have to be short-lived. Our lives are not scripted. We are not born to be failures or quitters. We are not destined to have a miserable marriage, because that's how it was for our parents. We can hope for a more fulfilling marriage, a more peaceful home, and a better tomorrow. We can change. We can choose to do what it takes to to build our marriage into something fruitful and strong. We can choose to love our marriage partner even when our experience says it won't make a difference. We can choose to have a home filled with harmony when it has been a war zone in the past. We can live better this year than we did last year.
Want a better year this year? Do something different. Make the change you know you need to make. Eat less. Exercise more. Have more sex with your spouse. Seek intimacy with your spouse on a daily basis. Husbands, take authority in your homes. Wives, submit graciously to your husbands. Stop arguing. Start communicating. Share with your spouse. Share some more. Don't go to bed angry. Touch each other. Compliment each other. Hold hands in public. Hold hands while you watch TV. Cook meals together. Eat those meals together. Share even more.
Want a better year this year? Do life differently this year. If you repeat the mistakes of last year, you will reap the same results as you did last year. So change. And anticipate good things. Don't squash your hope for a better marriage.
Happy new year to all our readers! May the new year present you with many opportunities to grow as a couple, and may you always have the courage to grab those opportunities with gusto.