Reflection of 2016

I made it a goal in 2016 to write a post per day (even if they didn't get posted THAT day).  It was my way of counting my blessings.  I accomplished that goal (posting the last today).

What did I learn?

I learned that I'm blessed.  I learned that there is so much to be thankful for.  I'm strong and I'm persistent.  I'm kind and loving but stern when I need to be.

Spend a year counting your blessings each day and watch it change your perspective.  You might be surprised what you learn.

One Last 2016 post

Sorry for not posting this on the 31st.  It got missed.

Remember today that you are

stronger than you feel,

more beautiful than you imagine,

and

great things are coming for you in 2017.

Mottos

With just one day left in 2016 (after today), your goal is to make a motto.  This year, I'm making it simple:

Make every single moment count.

So often, we focus our attention on what happened in the past or what we want to happen in the future and we forget to just be in the moment.  In 2017, I'm going to try to make every single moment worth it.  Whether it's a moment where I need more sleep and sleep that extra five minutes or whether it's a moment where I choose to try something new just to say I've done it, I'm going to focus on making it count.

What's your 2017 motto?

The Future

And today....let's focus on the future.  But let's not set unreasonable goals.  Let's set manageable goals.....

You have looked at your past and your present.  You've seen your blessings.  Now think of how you can take care of them better.  Think of how you can take care of yourself better.  Instead of setting a goal to diet, set a goal to eat more healthy and move for a half hour per day.  Instead of setting a goal to run every day (if you have never run before), set a goal to run every OTHER day and do cardio in between.

Set yourself small, manageable goals.  Set a goal for a month.  Then, when you've achieved that, set a goal for three months.  Keep setting small goals to help you achieve the larger things you're aiming for.

You can do it.  This is your year.

The Present

Yesterday, you focused on the past.  Today, I want you to soak  up the present.  Truly stop and look around you.  Sit down and make a list of every single blessing you have.  It might be something small like fabulous shoes or it might be something huge like a new spouse or a new baby.  Truly sit down and think of every single blessing that you can.

Now, take a moment and figure out at least one way that you can take extra care of that blessing in the coming year.  Whether it's something you can do every day or something that you can do once in a blue moon, find a way to think on it.

Instead of worrying about a resolution, worry about how to take care of what you have more efficiently.

Lessons of the Past

I continue my focus on making a better 2017 today.  You can't make a better future until you make peace with the past. So here's what I want you to do.....

There are four days left in 2016.  That's four days to begin to pick out life lessons from the past.  Of course, the past is not a pleasant place and people don't like to dwell there.  I'm not asking you to.  As the matter of fact, I'm asking you NOT to.  I'm just asking you to think back on the bad stuff.  What did you learn?  What could you take from that to make it better?  Think back on the awesome stuff.  What could you learn from it?

Take a moment today and start thinking of the lessons of the past and how you can apply them to your future.  There's always time to make a change.  Why not start today?

Instead of a Resolution....

Today is the day that people start focusing on resolutions.  So what type of resolution keeper are you?  Are you the person that makes the resolutions and sticks to them 100% of the time.  You are a rarity.  Are you the person that makes the resolutions and keeps them for a month or two and then blows them off?  Are you the person that swears off resolutions altogether?

I'd like to give you something to think on.....

Instead of a resolution this year, resolve to make a lifestyle change.  Make a lifestyle change to exercise more compassion.  Make a lifestyle change to exercise more love for others.  Make a lifestyle change to exercise more kindness.  In all of the aspects that you can, try to be a better person, whatever that looks like.

Let's make 2017 a year to come together as a nation.