New Year, New Hope

The phrase 'New Year, New You' dominates our mailing lists and social media feeds. As if our past experiences are empty shells to be thrown away like garbage, our previous selves erased and rebooted.

Change doesn't wait for January - it happens all the time. We are always growing and evolving. If we just forgot our mistakes and flaws instead of building on them, we would have to start from zero every year.

This doesn't mean we should cling to our emotional baggage! We heal and learn constantly; this is how we get better. This year wonder | wander | women want to embrace the idea of New Year: New Hope. It seems around the world, people are doing the same.

Sadiq Khan's 'London Is Open' NYE celebration
courtesy of The Independent

London mayor Sadiq Khan hosted a huge and welcoming fireworks display to ring in the New Year. The theme was 'London Is Open', celebrating London's diversity and inclusivity in the face of conflict.

As the year winds down and we look toward 2019, I’m asking you to make a commitment: find something you want to change in your community and take the first step toward changing it. If you need some inspiration, take a look at some of the young leaders who inspired me this year.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) 29 December 2018

Former president Barack Obama posted a series of tweets featuring community leaders who resisted the despair and chaos of 2018 to begin serious change themselves. He finished with this beautiful message:

I hope you find inspiration in the stories of Dejah, Moussa, Sandor, Hong and Jonny. Their journeys began with a decision to build the better future they wanted to see. The same is true for you. What matters isn’t the size of the step you take; what matters is that you take it.

It's been a tough year, but we are here and we are together. Let's draw strength from each other and use this past year as a foundation to build on: not wholly new selves, unaware and unlearned, but beings who are growing stronger and wiser every year.

Happy New Year!