It’s a new year. 2026 has come, one of our former DACC gals hopefully commented, with 365 new possibilities. How do you tackle the flip of the calendar? Resolutions? Rebellion against resolutions? Same-old, same-old?

New Year resolutions with a twist

I’m not much for resolutions at the beginning of the year. Long experience (I’ve had almost 55 calendar flips, now) tells me if I’m not resolved to sort myself out in March or August, I probably won’t have stickier stick-to-it zazz in January. But I am a wonder-er. I reflect (ruminate – unproductively?) a lot. Consider. Get curious about. Was I grateful for the goings-on of 2018, and will I learn from the wobbly, worrisome bits? Did I grow in generosity? In inclusion and understanding? Is my thinking smaller than it was a year ago? More expansive?

And who will I mature into in 2026? Will I have suffering or crisis thrust into my life? Will my choices bring those things down on my family? This new year, will I choose to live with Goodness and courage, or will I make excuses for a life that is small and withholding and afraid?

I wonder.

Letting go – and holding on – in the New Year

A friend posted her new year hopes on Facebook,

“After sitting back and hiding for a number of years I’m going to do something different this year…I’m not going to focus on changing my life or better myself, or eliminate the negative things or people in my world. You will NEVER succeed in doing that. I’m going to do my best to look at others, to try to see things differently, and give of myself and my time to help others. This is hard for me because I am extremely comfortable in my bubble…”

Instagram had a reminder the other day:

Maybe

Let it go

Isn’t always

the answer.

Maybe sometimes,

the answer is

let it be.

~E. Grace~

When to let it be, and when to let it go, in 2026

There are some worries and wonderings we’re just not meant to carry: hate, shame, pettiness, the endless comparison to our Others. G’head. Let those go. Just open your hands, picture the thing that is keeping you stuck and holding you down, and invite the winds of life to do what you cannot. To blow that clear off your unclenched palms.

But some things won’t be let go of. They are things that simply are: a grief that has marked us for life. An illness that is chronic and forever. A child that is wandering. A parent that is abusive in his brokenness. The weather, the financial markets, the inevitability of daylight savings time. Sometimes life is just happening to us. No amount of resolve or positivity is going to alter the thing that simply Is. G’head. Sit with these. Just open your hands, picture the thing that is happening to you, over which you just have zero control at all, and invite the winds of life to do what you cannot. To encircle that “Let it be” constant in a comfort and courage all its own.

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Year end giving fuels dreams, drama, and dynamic care

You may have noticed a little added urgency to your favourite charity’s requests for donations this holiday season? The postal strike had an impact on donations, for sure! Now is the time to get your precious donation dollars into the hands of the charity serving the cause you care about.

Your financial gift is what allows your charity of choice to keep the lights on, provide services, and make plans for the future. From your local community association to the arts, from children’s charities to seniors programs — every cause is ready to receive your donation.

Take some time to explore CanadaHelps and discover your many giving options. Visiting your chosen charity’s social media pages will bring happy news: if you donate before the end of the year, many organizations have double-your-donation campaigns going right now!

How year end giving can positively impact your taxes

CanadaHelps has a fabulous page dedicated to tax time. They write, “Not only is giving to charity a great way to make a difference to your favourite cause, but when you claim your charitable tax credits you can also take advantage of federal and provincial government tax incentives.”

Visit their page to explore their Charitable Tax Credit calculator!

Curious about how to maximize your benefits? Explore their site to learn how

• Federal and provincial donation tax credits add up
• You can reduce capital gains taxes
• To carry previous donations forward for a larger tax credit
• To transfer donation credits to your spouse or common-law partner

Year end giving will boost your charity’s ability to serve while also helping you maximize your own benefits!

Finishing the year off right

There’s no better way to end the year than by doing Good. The gift of your time, resources, and actual donation dollars ensures your charity finishes the year strong, too.

Thank you for the privilege of working alongside you and the cause you care about! Here’s to a new year of equality, dignity, and provision for all!

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Wellness – body, mind, soul

NewLeaf Total Wellness Centre has a helpful article on the “What is it?” questions we might have about this elusive practice.

Simply stated, this attention to self care is about being as kind to oneself as we might be to a friend…or even to a stranger.

How do we know if we need to spend a little effort in this area? Our biggest indicator is that we’re giving ourselves a hard time. Notice the ways in which you talk to yourself. Are you impatient? Judgmental? Do you criticize and blame and guilt yourself for everything from the feeling you just had to the thought you just thunk?

If you’re anything like me, you might be thinking, “I’m not too hard on myself. I tell myself the truth.” And sometimes we do need to give ourselves a little swift kick. Most of the time? Most of the time we need to talk to ourselves like we would attend to our best friend, or even a little child.

Because life is tough enough

It can be hard to see our own lives through a compassionate lens. We might have the habit of assessing other peoples’ complex stories as painful, or difficult. We might minimize our own distress, or even suffering.

NewLeaf goes on to say,

“There are three main components (or skills) of self-compassion.

1. Self-kindness is demonstrating to yourself the kindness that you have towards others when you are struggling.
2. Common humanity involves acknowledging that everyone suffers. Suffering is a part of life and as humans we all suffer. It’s recognizing that if you are suffering it is not because there is something wrong with you, but that everyone has moments of suffering. Inadequacies and imperfection is part of the shared human experience.
3. Mindfulness is noticing when we are suffering and attending to our struggle. Being mindful is to observe negative thoughts with openness. As Dr Kristen Neff, the pioneer of self-compassion, states ‘we can not ignore our pain and feel compassion for it at the same time.’ Lastly, a key piece of mindfulness is to remain non-judgemental when we notice our suffering and negative thoughts.”

Can you see yourself in this mix somewhere? Is there room for you to tend to your own heart, mind, and body a little more gently as the year wraps-up?

As we launch (step tentatively?) into 2020, what would it be like to exchange a little self-judgment for a practice of self-compassion? What if we start by noticing when we’re being too rough with our interior self, and go from there?

We’ve got important giving and loving and sharing and creating to do. Let’s do that from a healthy and thriving place!

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