12/21/2012 Is Important, But Not for the Reasons You Might Think

I know that a lot of survivalists and preppers have the date, December 21, 2012, prominantly marked on to-do lists, calendars, and mental checklists.  From the 2012 phenomenon article on Wikipedia:

“The 2012 phenomenon comprises a range of eschatological beliefs that cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on December 21, 2012.  This date is regarded as the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. Various astronomical alignments and numerological formulae related to this date have been proposed.”

Most folks who believe that 12/21/2012 is significant associate a negative connotation with the date.  Some believe Earth with collide with an unseen planet called “Nibiru“.  Others fear a giant black hole that’s headed straight for us.  Still others fear a more earthly cataclysm like global war or societal meltdown.  Perhaps these folks didn’t get the memo.  Modern Maya don’t consider the date signficant, and scholars seem to agree these prophecies of doom and gloom don’t have a historical basis.

There are also a small number of folks who think the date will be a positive, transformational moment for our  civilization.  Some say there’s a New Age basis for this belief while others seem to interpret the Maya as having predicted this fact in their history.

To be honest, I never regarded this day as being any different from any other day until I started to see how others’ beliefs were beginning to transform our society.  Then, a few weeks back, I heard a Survival Podcast listener suggest that we view 2012 in a new way.  He suggested that we take the time (from then until 12/21/2012) to work on a positive change like getting out of debt having a certain prep that isn’t easy to acquire.

I embraced the idea of 12/21/2012 as “Transformation Day”, and I chose my goal.  To some, the goal might seem mundane, but for me, it’s monumental.  I decided to recommit to the only eating plan that keeps me healthy — a low-carb eating plan — so that I can lose around 140 pounds.

I’ve gone on a “diet” before.  I’ve lost and regained weight more times than I can count.  I know how to succeed on the food side of things.  What I haven’t done before is address emotional issues that are keeping me fat and unhappy, and doing that is a crucial prep for our family.  After all, I’d be leaving my family woefully unprepared if my obesity were to kill me.  That’s not drama, folks.  It’s the truth.

I encourage everyone to think about an important, positive change that you can make for your “Transformation Day”.  It shouldn’t be something that’s easy, and it shouldn’t be something that’s quick.  It also shouldn’t be like a New Year’s resolution — something that you get all excited about for a month and then go back to live-as-usual.  And don’t forget that the difference between dreams and goals is that dreams have no plan.

An important part of my plan to reach my goal is accountability and support.  To help with that, I’ll start posting a “Transformation Day 2012” column on my blog.  If there’s enough interest, I’ll start a discussion forum as well where folks can talk about their goals for Transformation Day.  You don’t have to be interested in my weight loss journey to glean something useful from the new column.  Yes, I’ll be sharing information specific to my goal, but I’ll also share general insights that might help you meet your goal too.

Anyone up for the challenge? It’s always easier to walk a tough road with friends, right?