I have said on many occasions that I believe hope is the most precious thing human beings can have. The realistic hope for a better future drives many of us to work very hard, to persevere in the face of disappointments, and to keep on keeping on. Dogged persistence can result in amazing accomplishments, but today, I’m going to suggest you add a little magic to your plans.

When I was in high school, my sweetheart’s family taught me a New Year tradition that I have kept for many years. It involves the food we choose to eat on New Year’s Day. Through the years, I have learned some of the meaning behind the symbolic (and tasty!) foods. Tomorrow, on New Year’s Day, I will prepare these foods for my family: Black-eyed peas, for good fortune; rice, for good health; spinach, cabbage, or other greens for prosperity; and ham or other pork, to keep us focused on the future. The pork is a preferred food, because pigs are said to be incapable of looking backward. “Green” as a synonym for money is easy to understand, but I don’t know why black-eyed peas bring good luck or rice brings good health. I am not really superstitious, but hey, it’s worked for many years now, so I am not about to quit doing it.

Seriously, I think the ritual of choosing these foods is a way of setting our intentions for the new year. Taking the time to focus on health, wealth, and good luck in the future can help us behave in ways that attract health, wealth, and good luck. It isn’t magic at all; it is the power of choosing our own direction. Don’t look back. Look forward, with hope.

Happy new year!