The start of a New Year means New Year’s Resolutions – those promises we make ourselves about the year to come. You can look at promises a couple of different ways. There’s the promises we make that involve doing less – we’re going to be less stressed, eating less chocolate cake – and the promises that involve doing more – we’re going to adventure more, telling the people we care about that we care about them frequently.
Sometimes it feels like the promises we make to ourselves are the toughest ones to keep. It’s different when it comes to the kids, or the sweetheart, or even to the job – all of those commitments get met, as best we can. I’ve broken promises to myself before. I think we all have.
What helps a person follow through on their resolutions?
Celtic Jewelry: Affirmations
Let’s talk about affirmation for a little bit here. Affirmations are a collection of words that evoke a specific feeling. For example, when you hear the words “Strength Compassion Courage Wisdom” you might feel inspired, or comforted, or recognized. All of these feelings are important in helping us remember who we are, and what we want to achieve.
One way to help yourself follow through on your New Year’s Resolution is to 
surround yourself with affirmations that remind you of your goals for yourself. The “Strength Compassion Courage Wisdom” set is from the Celtic Bear. You’ll want to check out the other designs to see what affirmations they have.
Sharing affirmations is a way you can show someone you care about them. That’s a big part of why we developed the Pocket Charms. These are so cute – they’re small (5/8”!) charms in the shape of a shamrock, or a tiny heart, or in the Celtic acorn design. Each one has a short affirmation on the back – one or two words to inspire and encourage. Give the entire set as a gift, or carry them until the perfect moment to pass the thought along presents itself.
Celtic Jewelry Symbolism
The other thing we should talk about is symbolism. There’s a part of our 
understanding that responds better to images than to language. It’s just part of how we’re made. Combine that with the cumulative effects of the stories and legends we hear over the years, and you get symbolism – the phenomenon where observing an image evokes abstract thoughts. That’s why we can look at an owl and wind up thinking about wisdom, or see a dragon and feel fiercely protective.
The way you see symbols is influenced by your culture and your experiences. No two people looking at exactly the same symbol will see it exactly the same way. It can be an enjoyable exercise to look at many different symbols and see which one resonates with you. Wearing a symbol that reminds you of what you want to accomplish with your New Year’s Resolution can help you stay on track. Other options to put the power of symbolism to work for you? Most of our designs are available as keychains, money clips, match boxes, and gemstone pendulums.
