On January 2, the long holiday season was freshly behind us and it was time to get back into a normal routine. My FaceBook feed was full of glossy and hopeful well wishes for the new year… until I landed on this one from an old pal from high school. His post read, “My resume is basically a list of things I hate to do.”
Coming from a witty guy who enjoys irony, I wasn’t sure if he was serious or not. But the responses he received demonstrated that he hit a nerve among friends. This one typifies the general reaction: “I’ve heard legends about mystical beings who achieve something called job satisfaction. I have yet to encounter such a legendary status myself.”
Hmmm. If the first step toward resolution of any issue is just admitting there is a problem in the first place, then at least they’re on the right path.
And there’s no better time than the New Year to reflect on what is fulfilling and what is lacking in our lives. As another friend of mine — who volunteers as a hospital chaplain — frames it, “What are you letting go of in 2013 and what are you embracing?”
These are the types of questions that New Year’s resolutions are made of. Biological anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher explains: “Christmas is a time of celebration, a time of reflection, and a time of rebirth.
“Long before our forebears celebrated Christmas or Hanukkah, they celebrated the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21), the shortest day of the year — and the rebirth of the sun. So midwinter has long been a time of reappraisal, a time to reflect on what we have and what we lack. And as the holidays come to an end, we naturally resolve to fill what’s missing in our lives…” whether it’s job satisfaction, romance or something else.
My FaceBook friends are far from alone. According to a new nationwide survey by online career community Glassdoor, one in three employees will look for a new job in 2013. The survey of 2,249 people also found that and one in five (18 percent) plan to start their job hunt within the first three months of 2013.
There’s always an uptick in job searching in January as millions of Americans make a New Year’s pledge to improve their situations. But this survey shows that as the economy improves, more employees will be looking for greener pastures than in previous years.
Other people are hoping 2013 is their year for love — or at least a lot of dates, according to Grant Langston, vice president of customer experience at eHarmony. There’s an increase in sign-ups every year on Christmas Day. It bumps up again on New Year’s Day and continues until Valentine’s Day, making December through February high season for dating websites. Match.com reports that 64% of singles’ 2013 New Year’s resolutions are about finding love this year. And since one out of five relationships now start online, dating websites are busy.
What about you? It’s a new year. When you take down the 2013 wall calendar on January 1, 2014, what will its pages contain? Beyond scheduled appointments to the dentist, the auto mechanic and other obligations, how will 2013 be different — and better — than any previous year?
You decide.
