It's time to make time personal

Or why I'm no longer celebrating predetermined celebrations

You and I have been brainwashed by society on how we view time.

Think about it — when does your day begin? When you wake up or at midnight? I’ve never understood what’s so special about the clock striking 12:00 on my microwave. It’s pitch black outside. We’re sound asleep.

Nothing significant happens at midnight (unless you’re a vampire or a psychopath).

Now think about this — when does your new year begin? On January 1st or when there’s a significant change in your life? I’ve never understood what’s so special about flipping the calendar to January. It’s the middle of winter. We’re pleasantly plump and hungover from the recent holiday festivities.

Nothing significant happens on January 1st (unless you’re a college football fan or a company selling calendars).

I get why it’s helpful for society to use midnight and January 1st for coordination purposes. So flights and sporting events can stay on schedule. But shouldn’t our personal decisions and celebrations happen at personally meaningful moments?

Your year really begins when you:

• Move to a new city.

• Start a new side hustle selling lemonade.

• Quit a soul-sucking corporate job.

• Go on a first date with your future husband or wife.

• Become a parent to a new human (or dog).

• Or whatever else.

Those are the personally meaningful moments — where yesterday was nothing like today. Those are the memories you’ll look back on and think, “Nothing was the same after that.” That’s the real start of your new year.

This doesn’t have to be a purely selfish act either.

You know your family and friends better than anyone else. So you can celebrate these meaningful moments for them too.

Who says you have to celebrate that important person someone on the random day they happened to pop out of their mother’s womb? I’m no doctor and I don’t play one on the Internet, but as far as I can tell, they had no say in that matter.

So I’d rather celebrate them on the day they finally decided to break up with their crazy ex, move across the country to a place where they knew nobody, and started that passion project they’d always been dreaming about.

That’s a full day and a real cause for celebration, right?

The fourth Thursday in November is coming up soon, but what if I don’t feel particularly thankful then? Standing in line for two hours waiting for a table to open up on February 14 is not when I feel most romantic.

So let’s stop forcing these celebrations on universal dates.

There’s nothing more pathetic than trying to manufacture a celebration just because this is the day society tells you to jump for joy. It’s thoughtless.

Let’s make time personal by ignoring how we’re supposed to feel on an arbitrary calendar date. And instead, celebrating personally meaningful moments in our lives and others.

So let me ask you this — when did this year really begin for you?

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Photo by Anastasiia Rozumna on Unsplash