“Are you being good right now?” I asked my boys up until the final days of Christmas.
“No,” they admitted honestly.
“I’m not sure if Santa will stop by our house this year at all,” I responded.
“But we are trying. We will be better.”
I think they’re trying to operate under the truth that two negatives make a positive.
Yes, for my kids, the Christmas countdown made staying on the good list even harder than getting there in the first place.
But their continuing (failed) efforts, reminded me that even if you come up short of your goals, don’t throw in the towel; keep giving it thought and effort, and you will get there (eventually).
And now that it’s a new year, you have a chance for a fresh start.
As for making those dreaded New Year’s Resolutions (you know, the things we’ve wanted to change about ourselves for the last five years) … it’s time for a clean slate.
This year, let’s not think on what we need to change about ourselves (i.e., lose weight, work less, quit smoking), but instead, focus on what we want for ourselves.
After all, life is all about how you look at it.
What is it that you want this year?
Don’t worry about anything you did yesterday. I’m talking about what you want right now. Do you have it? No? Then it’s obvious, go get it!
I find — especially when it comes to self reflection — we tend to go directly to the areas that need improvement.
But this year, I’m resolved to not think about the things I want to change about myself. Because, ha!, the list is endless.
I want to talk about tomorrow.
I want to start thinking about what I want, and how I’m going to get there.
When you talk about goals, it’s so easy to fall back to where you fell short. But with goals, time really becomes irrelevant … because goals are all about the now. So you came a little short of your resolutions last year. Who cares? Move forward with what you want today.
Take time to dream, and reassess what you want out of life.
Yes, if your goal (like my children’s) is to get presents next year for Christmas, you may have to end up doing things to get back on Santa’s Nice List. (Santa might not be so generous next year.)
But, shift your focus from what you shouldn’t do, to what you want instead. Don’t think of how hard it will be to change your bad behavior, but how easy it will be to start making steps in the right direction. (I advise — helping your mother is always a good way to begin.)
Life with no hurdles would have no purpose, no design.
And let’s admit, our faults help define us, just like our strengths. If we didn’t have things to overcome, where would the fun be?
Life is whatever you make of it. But having difficulties, and losing your way, are just a part of it … for everybody.
If you aren’t where you want to be, there’s still time to get there.
Sometimes all you have to do is walk across the room, and sit somewhere new to look at everything from a fresh perspective. Grab onto your hats, it’s time to take the New Year by storm.
