Out with the old, in with the new….

You may have heard this common expression for the new year. In our consumer economy, I think we are all pretty good with the “in with the new”. But how are you with the “out with the old”? Do you hold on to things, ideas, habits, philosophies, relationships?

Over the holidays my son and I were working on a jigsaw puzzle. As a friend once commented about puzzles- they are a good way to just talk about anything while you are lightly engaged in a project. As we were trying to figure out some tough distinguishable areas of sky pieces my son remarked, sometimes it takes a different perspective to figure out what goes together. He had just gotten up to get something to drink and when he sat down, he had started working on a different section. When he returned to the sky section he was able to fit in many pieces.

For this New Year’s Day, why not look upon this year with a different perspective? Instead of all new: new ideas, things, philosophies, relationships, we review the “old”? We evaluate what we have- is it necessary, helpful, supportive, useful, beautiful- and decide if it is it serving our current needs?

Are there things that you might want to evaluate before you blindly turn the page for the new year? Why not plan on evaluating those things during the month of January before embarking on a new idea, or purchasing a new item, or starting a whole new exercise regime.

The current psychology regarding changing and creating new habits is to create a new one before eliminating an old one. The thought is that once a new habit is established it is easier to drop the old. But for many, it is hard to even begin a new one because the old one gets in the way.

I wonder if even before any new steps, we take a good hard look at the old habit or things, or ideas/relationships/philosophies. We take the time to go through the old. We look at the old with fresh eyes and ask ourselves some questions: Why do we still have it? Is it too costly to continue- physically, socially, emotionally, spiritually? Is there anything about the old habit- physically, socially, emotionally, spiritually that is still good, useful and helpful? What would happen if I gave it away, sold it, discontinued using it? Would I miss the old if it were gone? Am I ready for the “new”?

Sure, it is nice to have everything new and to feel everything is fresh. There is nothing freer than to feel that January 1st has given us a new chapter in life -full of new opportunities and possibilities. But as anyone who has ever moved, most likely you end up bringing your old junk to the new home. New location, same stuff. Nothing really has changed except you might not know where the coffee mugs are located. Yet in the case of moving, when we really go through each box and not just hastily pack, we sometimes discover long lost meaningful items. Items that can be resurrected and used in our new location if only in a new and different way.

What about you? Do you have a New Year’s routine? Start something new? What about the old? Still around? Want it to be? What can you do this January to evaluate the old? How can you view your life differently this January? Need to see your relationships through the eyes of your friends? Need to “shop” your closet/house- finding long forgotten items and clothes that might be new again for you? Need to see what you are already doing in your exercise routine that can be augmented? Need to have a reflective time with God to determine your next steps with Him?

Maybe a new expression should be: evaluate the old before you embrace the new…