It’s January. The time of the year when we look for new beginnings and a fresh start. The winter holidays have past, and with them, the distraction that these festivities provided. People make new year’s resolutions in the hope of generating new energy in their lives.
Our celebration of the new year comes at a time shortly after the winter solstice – the shortest, darkest day of the year. January is the time when the days get longer. The increase in daylight is still imperceptible, but we hope that something is moving in the world that will allow us to enjoy new life soon.
When the days are short and the weather is challenging, it’s easy to wonder if something new is really stirring. Perhaps you find yourself questioning whether something new is really in motion or is it just the same stuff, different year. For many people, January provides a welcome return to the normal routine. It’s a time of settling back into our work. And at the same time, wanting something new.
What does this look like psychologically? What is it like to long for some new energy, attitude, or position emotionally? We can find ourselves doing and feeling the same things over and over. Though we are tired of the pattern and the habit seems worn out, it’s hard to shake these involuntary patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting. Messages urging us to set a goal and make a change abound. In my experience, I have found that when these goals are not supported by something deeper within the person, they are easily discarded in exchange for the usual, familiar, and habitual.
Where can we look for that deeper energy to support our efforts? One place comes quickly to mind. We get hints of new potential from our dreams. Dreams always offer a new perspective on an aspect of our life. They provide a new dimension on a situation that we had not seen before. When a person takes time to reflect on the meaning of the symbols within the dream, they discover new ways of thinking about a situation. A fresh energy emerges.
If the reader is unfamiliar with dreamwork, I encourage a couple of things. First, keep a dream journal near your bed and record any dream or dream fragment as soon as possible after waking. Dream images tend to fade quickly once you move into your day. Second, because the meaning of the dream is naturally unknown to the dreamer, finding someone to talk with about the dream is helpful. That person can offer ideas that the dreamer may not be able to generate on his/her own. This person should be someone that you trust with personal material. Thirdly, Robert Johnson’s book, Inner Work, is an excellent resource to begin understanding and interpreting dream images.
Another way of discovering a supportive energy to fuel your goals is to take a step back and look at yourself from a different perspective. People often name 2 or 3 things that they want to work on in the new year. Frequently, there is a common theme that runs through these goals. Exploring that theme will give clues to what might be calling your attention.
For example, a common resolution that many people make is to improve their diet and to exercise more. A few questions might help clarify the underlying theme. How will you feel and behave differently once you achieve those goals? What does it say about you to be a person who has a healthy diet and exercise routine? How do these goals fit in with your family’s expectations? The goals may stand in the place of, or act as concrete representations of what the person is seeking at a deeper level.. In other words, considering those goals might be a statement about wanting to give more attention to one’s own needs, developing a better relationship with one’s physical needs, creating a different relationship with family members or to the family culture, or experiencing an increased sense of agency or accomplishment. Everyone will answer these questions differently.
Allowing something new into our lives takes time and attention. It generally doesn’t appear fully formed. Allowing something new to emerge requires patient waiting and gentle coaxing. These shifts in our psyches occur just as slowly and imperceptibly as do the changes in our environment between winter and spring.
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