Six Simple Ways to Start the New Year Right

As we start 2023 with all the hopes and dreams we have every new year, I’d like to propose a different way of looking at resolutions. Many of us are highly ambitious at this time of year – we want to lose weight, get a better job, start working out, spend more time with the family, etc. However, as the reality of life sets in, these resolutions begin to slide away. As a way to avoid the self-loathing of failed resolutions, I propose mini-resolutions. These are tasks that need doing and that aren’t difficult to do but are, nevertheless, often neglected. If you knock out a few of these at the beginning of the year, you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something. And the more you do, the better you’ll feel about yourself. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

1) Get Your Car Serviced – Get that oil change done, or even better, get a complete checkup done. Make sure all your systems are running well. An additional advantage is that you’ll know your car is ready for any winter weather coming your way. Be sure to look for coupons and sales; these businesses know that people have less money for their services after Christmas, so you can find really good deals.

2) Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet and Bathroom Drawers – If you are pushing old stuff aside to get to the items that you really want, you need to de-clutter your bathroom supplies. Check expiration dates and throw out old over-the-counter remedies. For prescription medications, edit them as well but first look into the protocols for disposal as many types cannot be thrown directly into the trash or flushed down the toilet. Old makeup or cosmetics that you bought once upon a time and never used need to go. This is also a good time to get rid of those sample sizes you brought home from vacation three years ago. All in all, when in doubt, discard it. Oh, and maybe refill your first aid kit while you’re at it. 

3) Make a Vision Board – I know that some readers will think this is a bunch of hooey, but I also know that many ambitious and successful people use them. Sometimes just calmly contemplating what you want makes it easier to see the path to your goal. And for creative projects, having visual inspiration nearby is a wonderful thing.  Whether or not you’re a true believer, vision boards can be a lot of fun to make so why not? This article from Oprah Daily has great guidelines and ideas.

4) Clean Out Your Pantry – Now that the holidays are over and many of us are determined to eat better, it’s time to approach your pantry or kitchen cabinets. Remove and store or discard those things that are holiday-related. If you won’t be using it until next Christmas or Hanukkah, get it out of there. Old spices lose their oomph, so throw out the old stuff. When one is cleaning out their closet, it’s said that you should discard anything you haven’t worn in a year. I think the same is true in a pantry – if you haven’t eaten or used it in a year it needs to go. While you’re throwing out things, consider eliminating as much processed food as possible. While you may not be ready to make a full commitment to changing your diet, your chances of eating badly go way down if that kind of food is not readily available. 

5) Do Some Mending – Do you have buttons that need to be sewed on, a pulled thread in a sweater or some tears in clothes that need fixing? Maybe a little repair work on your Christmas outfit? Now is the time to do these little chores. Grab everything that needs to be mended and settle down to get it done. This sort of work is perfect to do while bundled up on the couch watching TV on a cold day. And once it’s done, and you have some “new” stuff to wear, you’ll get immediate validation.

6) Clean Out Your Desk or Office Clutter – Now that the holidays are in the rearview mirror, tax season is upon us, and the weather outside is frightful it’s the perfect time to clean up your workspace at home. You can organize your important papers, send out those thank-you notes (yes, people still do this), put up and fill out your new calendar, and evaluate your work and finances from the past year as you go. Right after the holidays is the best time to figure out whether you spent the right amount, or if those credit card bills will affect how much of a vacation you take in the summer. While you’re at it you could beautify your workspace with some new desk décor. Here are some cute/useful/silly options from Etsy. And if you do this on National Clean Your Desk Day on January 9th, you will get extra points.

If the above projects don’t resonate in your world, consider what you may have “pending” that needs doing. It could be cleaning out the basement, going through and donating baby clothes, getting the carpets cleaned, or updating all the apps on your phone. The important thing is to accomplish something, what that is exactly is less important. Finishing these projects may not ensure a happy and fruitful 2023, but it will assure that you go into it feeling better about yourself. And that makes  nearly everything better.

Happy New Year

Submitted by Pam

2020: Both A Number And A Word.

Every year at this time we begin a new year and usually it’s just the next number and that’s that. But, as we approached this particular New Year, it occurred to me that 2020 has connotations beyond the numerical sequence and it seems to be unique in this matter. Think of any other year, let’s say 1972 or 2010, and you may place it into a timeline in your head, but it does not mean anything beyond being a number. This is not the case with 2020; it has numerous other uses that have nothing to do with the passage of time. Even if most of the time these other uses are written as 20/20 instead of 2020. 2020 is even in the dictionary, a place for words, not numbers.

The most common usage of 2020 is related to vision. In an effort to measure normal and diagnose abnormal eyesight, the Dutch ophthalmologist Herman Snellen developed a chart back in 1862. We are all familiar with the Snellen chart – it is the one with rows of letters that change from large at the top to small at the bottom. Using his metrics and chart, 20/20 is the measurement for normal visual acuity (the sharpness or clarity of vision). Using a baseline of 20 feet, the designation of 20/20 means that a person with normal visual acuity can see clearly at 20 feet what should be seen clearly at that distance.


The second most common usage of 2020 is again about sight, but only semantically. “Hindsight is 20/20” is a pretty common phrase that refers to the clarity a person has about a past decision. It’s rather like Monday morning quarterbacking. But, where this phrase came from is a mystery. It seems like it must have somehow grown out of the Snellen chart due to the sight connection, but there really is nothing to verify this. How it became so widely used is also puzzling, especially when you consider that is was first noted in just 1962 as “the newest expression in the US air transport business”.

Dexter Gordon, Jazz Saxophonist

The hindsight phrase has held its standing over the decades but there have been other 2020 usages over the years that have emerged and then faded away. For instance, by the mid-1940s, 2020 was used as an adjective for something or someone that was excellent or good-looking. But, this term was contained within the relatively small community of jazz musicians in Harlem, New York. They were known for their colorful jive talk and this was part of it, but as that insular community broke up over the years, their singular language faded away as well.


The Urban Dictionary and the Urban Thesaurus both claim to have modern slang uses for 2020, but I am suspicious of their validity. You can check out their pages and decide for yourself.

There is something about the symmetry of 2020 that makes it appealing for use in many different ways. Apparently even angels are
attracted to it. According to the dogma of Numerology and Tarot, numbers have vibrational qualities that transcend our physical realm. These vibrations work in a higher plain, in a place where angels dwell. Our higher consciousness can also reach this realm, so when angels want to communicate with us they often send messages in numbers. These are aptly called Angel Numbers. So, when a particular number repeatedly reappears in a person’s life, angels are attempting to make contact. The Angel Number 2020 appears to be a have a positive message – a celestial “way to go, you got this, keep up the good work” kind of thing. It remains unclear to me how a person can tell that an angel is calling 2020 when that number is the current year and it appears on virtually everything.


In the fantasy world of the online roleplaying game Guild Wars, 20/20 refers to a type of weapon.These 20/20 weapons have specific (and apparently awesome) capabilities that I’m not even going to try to understand enough to describe here. If you want to know more, here is a page to get you going.


There is a nationwide coalition of African-American community leaders called the 2020 Club (or the Bipartisan Justice Center). This organization began with 20 Republican and 20 Democrats (hence the name) and is dedicated to finding and implementing positive change in the criminal justice system.

Then there is Justin Timberlake: He put out an album in 2013 titled “The 20/20 Experience”. According to this article, he had said the title refers to “20 songs in 20 days”, but then debunks himself and says it means “music you can see”. And then he has ophthalmological equipment as the cover image. Whatever….



Here’s to an exceptional year in 2020 – better and happier in all the ways that matter most.

Submitted by Pam

Happy Holidays From The ARBICO Family!

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to our customers, vendors, industry partners and distributors! Without you, this journey would not be as fruitful or rewarding. You provide us with insights, laughter, fascinating conversations, teaching moments and so many other experiences every year. We love learning with you and the satisfaction that comes with helping spread organic practices together. In this shared ride, we are grateful for everyone that has joined us and hope to continue down a path of growth and connection in the coming year.

Happy holidays and have a wonderful new year!