The Dispatch! Resolution Evolution!

We have entered a brand new year. 2019. Numerically speaking this year doesn’t sound like its going be very exciting. I mean it’s the 19the year of the 21st century. No 19th birthday has ever all that exciting. I don’t think anyone has ever said, “Oh man. My 19th birthday was crazy. There were fire dancers and a laser show!” Usually we look back and “I think most people forgot my 19th birthday. I think my mom sent me a card, I’m not sure! Honestly I don’t even remember turning 19!”

But this year doesn’t need to be doomed into mediocrity at the start. So far it’s stayed pretty consistent in terms of New Years. People had reverence for the year before and made resolutions for the upcoming year. And most people wait to start their resolutions on January 1st! That’s the day that’ll change everything! The arbitrary rolling of an old numeric system to calculate the passage of time will finally give my gym membership some meaning and enroll me in a painting class that doesn’t involve alcohol. Remember if you’re a true artist you earn your alcoholism! You don’t just pay for it while painting a bowl of fruit at an arts center!

I think the way we view New Years is a cause to how we view change. The idea that all of sudden one day we’re going to make this drastic change is why we don’t can’t understand the importance of incrementalism. And it’s probably the reason by November 9th, 2016 was deemed the apocalypse to complacent Democrats and leftists. Real change is gradual. You don’t even really see it until it’s already happened.

And I’m sure there are some of you that are against the idea that we have to work for change and progress and that’s an incremental process. There are probably some folks that are upset and calling me names and yelling into their media devices. People got mad at Charles Darwin and ridiculed him too when he talked about evolution and it’s gradual properties.

Look I’m not saying don’t make your resolutions or don’t fight fight progressive ideals. But realize that it’s probably not going to happen because the numeric value of the year. We have become a culture of instant gratification but based on the fleeting nature of New Year’s resolutions we’ve always been that way. Most resolutions don’t last past the first month, and even less past the third. Part of the reason is we didn’t get the result we wanted as quickly as we wanted it. Life isn’t a Facebook post or a google search. Though based on the current trajectory of our economy we do have buy ads to make sure we are living our best lives..

2019 doesn’t have to go down in history for being an unmemorable year or the Gerald Ford of years if you will. For those that forgot, Gerald Ford was an American President. It can be the year where have a little patience, understanding and forgiveness for ourselves and those around us. We can learn our past, not live it in and utilize the present to make sure the future is a bit better.

So if you can’t commit a resolution that’s ok, keep trying, keep working at it, keep evolving. Eventually you will become the person you want to be and do the things you want to. There are people that support you but it starts with offering yourself some kindness so you can offer it up to others. This is difficult, but we can do it. Little by little, step by step. And maybe down the road we can look back at 2019 and say that the 19th year of the 21st century was pretty badass because we started to really evolve as a society.