Quiet: The New New Year’s Celebration

New Year’s Eve is a time of raucous celebration for many people. Whether it’s being in the thick of it in Times Square, having an an extravagant dinner out with your sweetie, or whooping it up at a nightclub or house party, the last night of the year is cause to party hearty till the cows come home.

But what if you took a different approach this year?

Parties aside, I find this time of year can get stressful for lots of folks. The media is inundated with “year in review” stories, which are mostly negative. Do we really need to re-live all of the tragedy that happened in the world this year? Once is enough for me, thanks.

The blogosphere is not much better. It’s made up of myriad “tried and true” techniques for setting and accomplishing goals for the coming year. We are told that we must set a course for 2013, set ourselves up for success, make resolutions, make plans for this and that and the other thing. Must must must.

It’s no wonder people want to go out and get smashed on New Year’s, if only to forget about all the bad things that have happened, goals we have yet to set, and plans we’ve neglected to make for 2013.

So, what if you take another approach this year?

Choose to spend the last day of the year just being quiet. Don’t watch the news, or read about all the bad things that have happened this year. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to make resolutions or set lofty goals. Take one day to just pause, and celebrate where you are and how far you’ve come.

Perhaps the last day of the year is best spent just sitting, with a cup of tea (or a glass of champagne, of you’re so inclined). Or reading a book. Or listening to your favourite music. Or hanging out with your kids, or your sweetie, or your best friend. Or just being by yourself, and being quiet and content with the way things are.

Consider ringing in 2013 with nothing more than quiet. Bring in the new year peacefully, and quietly. Not only will it be good for your spirit, but you’ll have way less of a headache the next day too.

Sometimes, doing less is actually so much more.

And you? How will you ring in the new year?