I’ve heard quite a number of people say that for them, 2015 has been a tough year; in some cases, a very tough year.  I concur.

Our calendar year is broken up in months, weeks and days.  There are times when you have a tough day.  At the end of one of those days, you might optimistically say, “This was a tough day, but tomorrow things will be a lot better.”

There are other times when a given week has lots of challenges.  Sometimes an entire month seems filled with one unpleasant thing after another. But a whole year?  Since we mark time by days, weeks, months, and years, an unusually long time span of disappointments, challenges, obstacles, and sorrows, is often labeled, “a really tough year.”

For me personally, 2015 has been rather challenging.  Okay, it’s been tough, really tough.  My wife and I have been married for 44 years and we both agree it has been one of the toughest years of our lives.

Rest easy; I’m not about to list everything that happened this year.  No sir.  I’m not going to turn this article into a “pity party.”

But after having a very tough year, “New Year” has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?  Just saying it engenders a little hope for a brighter year ahead.  And, after a very tough year, adding, “Happy” to that phrase, “Happy New Year” takes on a little bigger meaning.

I know life happens in the moment, and moments make up hours, and hours make up the day.  I’m glad when we come to the end of our day, we’re tired, and we go to sleep; the day, good or bad, has finally ended.  When we wake in the morning, it is indeed a brand NEW day!

Each morning we can start our NEW day by doing our best to put the previous day behind us; we can start out fresh, looking to God for His help and direction.  We can expect to have a great day.

At times that might not be as easy to do as it is to say.  But that little mental shift can point us in a direction of hope for the future, instead of regret of the past, and that’s a great way to start a new day. It is a simple mental choice.

Meanwhile, the new year, 2016, is upon us.  Is it naively optimistic of me to expect a great year ahead?  I don’t think so.

God’s promises are all still true.  The Bible says that God is a very present help in time of need.  With His help, and His promises, why not expect 2016 to be the best year of your life so far?

As for me, right at the tail end of this very tough year, I started a brand new radio show called, “The Optimistic Spin.” I will embrace and enter into 2016 on quite an optimistic note! And I expect that kind of attitude not only on my radio show, but in my life as well.

Happy New Year!