“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.” –Bill Vaughan
Old Year
2010 was a year like no other—full of things we never thought would happen, on a world wide and on a personal level. Yet they did happen, and we laughed, we cried, and we moved on. We grow most when faced with challenges, and for so many of us, it was a time of some major growth—having to shift our paradigms regarding who and what is truly important in our lives. We made some new friendships, ended some old ones, and maybe lost some people along the way, who from now on, will be with us only in spirit.
New Year
Just as each new day brings new opportunities, so is each new year filled with hope for the future. It is up to us to plan for good things, to dream things that not yet are but exist only in our imagination. So we are given 365 new days, and 8,765 new hours—each of them filled with sixty precious minutes. No matter how old you are, or in what circumstances you find yourself today, know that it is never too late to start anew. After all, it doesn’t matter how you started, but how you will finish that will really count. Anything is possible, so let’s dream big!
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
When looking back do not concentrate on the things you failed to accomplish, but remember the successes you’ve achieved. Remembering each of them will allow you to relive moments of happiness and pride in reaching goals, and will prepare you for making new, courageous plans for the year to come. Most people take more time planning what they are going to wear the next day, or what they will cook for dinner, than planning how they are going to spend the rest of their life.
What are your goals for the next year? If you are not sure, take an hour today to write down your goals and plans to accomplish each one in the different areas of your life: personal, professional, education, spiritual, financial, your contribution to society through your God given talents, places you want to visit, people you want to meet, and also some mini goals you want to reach along the way (what books you want to read, what friendships you want to cultivate, how you want to want to make the world a better place just by being in it this year). Don’t allow yourself to be the same person on January 1 2012, as you are on January 1 2011. Be better, smarter, richer in friendships, relationships, your contributions, and more satisfied than you are today.
