Mileposts and Detours
Is the New Year a fresh start, or just a milepost in a much longer journey?
For many people January 1st is a new start, and a perfect time to make big changes. It’s time to lose weight, stop wasting evenings on social media, or save more money. It’s time to do all the things right that you didn’t do last year.
The cold hard truth, however, is that 23% of people quit their New Year’s resolutions before the first week of January is even over. Nearly half are done with them by the end of January. Quitters day is a thing: It is the second Friday in January, identified by data scientists as the day when the largest surge of people officially abandon their goals. It is estimated that only 9% of people actually stick with them the whole year.
Personally, my New Year’s resolutions seldom stick.
Maybe thinking about January 1st as a fresh start and planning big changes isn’t the answer.
Change is constant
Change is a constant; it’s always happening. It’s the steady hum of tires on the pavement, occurring every second of every day, whether we acknowledge it or not.
Perhaps we fail at these resolutions because we treat January 1st like a starting gun for a race we haven’t trained for. We try to pivot at full speed. But I’ve started looking at the New Year differently. It isn’t a beginning, but a milepost—an artificial marker on a very long journey.
Benchmarks and mileposts
The calendar doesn't actually create a new version of us; it just provides a benchmark. It’s a milepost in a long progression. And I think, mentally, what we really need is just a moment of quiet reflection before we keep moving, a bit of space to breathe before the next set of changes arrives.
Back roads
Driving home today, I decided to get off the main route, the familiar route, and take the back roads. We didn't have a specific reason other than a desire to see something different. When you aren't rushing toward a destination, your eyes open up. You notice the things that are usually blurred by speed.
I found two barns along the way, weathered, silent, and standing as their own kind of mileposts in the landscape. Skipping the main road, the familiar route, let me find them. Taking roads with less traffic makes it easier to pull over, get out, and look at them. To take out the camera, play with compositions, and take a few shots to see what works.
These barns are markers of a different sort. They aren’t trying to be something new; they are simply standing there at this moment in time. Seeing them reminded me that while the “New Year” is an artificial milestone, it’s still a useful one. It’s a point on the map to check my bearings.
Setting goals
I’m no longer a fan of the “Big Change” resolution. I haven’t made New Year’s resolutions in years. But I do like having a few more mile markers to aim for, a few creative goals I’d like to reach before the next time the calendar rolls over. Think of them as course corrections rather than hard pivots.
The goal isn't always the point. If I’m so focused on hitting the next marker that I stay on the highway with the cruise control locked, I’ll never see the barns. I'll miss the very things I'm out here to find.
Taking detours
So my plan for this year is a mix of both. I’ll keep an eye on the mileposts ahead, but I’m going to leave plenty of room for the scenic detours. I’m going to allow myself the time to pull over, get out, and see what works.
After all, some of the best images aren’t found at the destination. They’re found when you’re willing to go the long way home.
✅ Where to Find Me
You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography
If you want to work with me, or inquire about licensing images: Contact Page
More of my work can be seen on Vero and Flickr.
🎒 What I’m Reading
Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share gear and resources I personally use or believe in.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Here are some books I’m reading, and have recently read, that have been impactful for me:
Make It Anyway - Danny Gregory. Essays on creative living, for anyone that makes stuff.
The Interior Landscape: The Landscape on Both Sides of the Camera - Guy Tal. Another inspiring collection of essays on creativity, expression, and photography from Guy Tal.
The Heart of the Photograph: 100 Questions for Making Stronger, More Expressive Photographs - David duChemin. David’s books and courses are always meaningful and inspiring to me. This book is no exception. It’s more about thinking about what you are looking at and what you want to say than actual technique.