{"id":2390,"date":"2021-01-15T12:58:54","date_gmt":"2021-01-15T12:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dougburgett.net\/blog\/?p=2390"},"modified":"2021-01-15T12:58:56","modified_gmt":"2021-01-15T12:58:56","slug":"why-its-good-to-start-fresh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dougburgett.net\/blog\/why-its-good-to-start-fresh\/","title":{"rendered":"Why It’s Good to Start Fresh"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cBe willing to be a beginner every single morning.\u201d<\/p>Meister Eckhart<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a new year, so what better opportunity to discuss starting fresh, a concept filled with hope and perhaps relief, especially this year as we leave behind the cursed 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But starting fresh isn\u2019t always a good thing. Maybe the idea of change or venturing into new territory brings you anxiety. Or maybe you\u2019re wise to the reality that there is no such thing as a fresh start.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of what starting fresh means to you, let\u2019s look at it from a shared viewpoint for the sake of this post. The German theologian, philosopher and mystic, Meister Eckhart, once said, \u201cBe willing to be a beginner every single morning,\u201d promoting the concept that every day offers a fresh start. Let\u2019s focus on that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wide-Eyed and Ready to Learn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Being a beginner is often viewed as a bad thing. After all, no one likes being a rookie, right? But why is that? Why is it better to be experienced? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One could say that being a beginner is wrought with failure. Rookies make rookie mistakes. Or maybe it\u2019s more glorious to be the seasoned professional because people give you more respect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s look at it from a different angle. When you\u2019re a rookie the expectations are low. No one assumes you\u2019ll perform at the same level as the veteran. In other words, no one is surprised when you make a mistake. It\u2019s expected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basically, there\u2019s little pressure when you\u2019re a beginner. The only demand is that you learn. You\u2019re a student. You\u2019re the new kid. You\u2019re an apprentice. What a wonderful thing! Embrace it. Wake up each day and be on the lookout for new things. That\u2019s what a fresh start is all about.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, in order to fully embrace being a beginner we have to leave some things behind. That\u2019s another good part of starting fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check Your Baggage, Please<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As one day ends and another begins, get in the habit of leaving things behind. It\u2019s hard, I know. For whatever reason, we like to carry things with us. We like to burden our minds and our hearts with unnecessary baggage that weighs us down and ultimately prevents us from growing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting fresh means letting bygones be bygones. It means taking with you only that which serves you. No more and no less. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all know the great feeling of a fresh start. We know what it means to leave the bad stuff behind and wipe the slate clean. It\u2019s freeing. It\u2019s exciting. It\u2019s totally worth it. But most of us don\u2019t do it as often as we should. Here\u2019s a helpful way to think about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of each day as a trip. Going to sleep at night is just like boarding a plane for a wonderful vacation to paradise. You check all your heavy bags and carry with you only the essentials. Then you fly, or sleep in the case of this analogy. When you wake up you\u2019ve arrived at your destination. The fun begins. What happened yesterday or last week doesn\u2019t matter. You\u2019re on vacation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we\u2019re going to take this analogy one step further, we could say that being reunited with those heavy bags after arriving at your vacation destination is just like encountering the negative crud you left behind from the previous day. It\u2019s an important thing to note: nothing truly disappears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can leave negativity behind, but it will resurface. It might not even be recognizable as the same thing you ditched, but it doesn\u2019t matter. The practice of leaving behind thoughts and feelings that do not serve us is still a worthwhile endeavor. It isn\u2019t a magic wand, but it\u2019s a necessary process in order to start fresh every day.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living Free and Happy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If we\u2019re willing to be a beginner every morning then we\u2019re able to approach each day with the best possible chance of living free and happy. We\u2019re letting go of the negativity that holds us back and we\u2019re looking ahead with youthful optimism, eager to learn and grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We don\u2019t have all the answers. We don\u2019t have unreasonable expectations. We simply have a clear path forward. Our minds are primed for new ideas and creative solutions. Our hearts are open and free to love. That\u2019s what starting fresh is all about. It\u2019s a daily practice worth embracing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Meister Eckhart once said, \u201cBe willing to be a beginner every single morning.\u201d What a beautiful, rewarding way to start fresh. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2391,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-betterment","is-cat-link-borders-light"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy It's Good to Start Fresh - Doug Burgett<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dougburgett.net\/blog\/why-its-good-to-start-fresh\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why It's Good to Start Fresh - 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