What Tomorrow Brings!
At the dawn of a new year, I often wonder what the new year will bring. This year, as with every year, I am hopeful for good times, prosperity and success. Will the new year bring adventure? Will it bring peace?
Last year was a very difficult year for many people. For many, it was a year of changes, challenges, transitions, coping and financial difficulties. Difficulties force us to re-evaluate, to become more efficient and effective. Many of us have had to re-group and re-focus. Re-inventing ourselves is often a tiresome, stressful process - after all, birth is painful and messy but often results in joys we could not have previously imagined. I truly believe we have found the “bottom” of the recession, if we continue to look towards a great future.
Many experts advise us to be grateful, however, sometimes when we are going through difficult times, it is especially difficult to be grateful. The best way to heal from a situation is to balance the difficulties with the "affirmative." For example, gratitude heals resentment; hope heals despair; pride heals defeat; dignity heals misdeeds; and confidence and courage heals rejection and fear.
All of these mindsets can be chosen.
Many entrepreneurs are “born” out of difficult financial times. People who find themselves out of work, for example, might feel forced to start a business and soon they find running a business is the most difficult, yet rewarding undertaking they have faced. You may also find yourself faced with a monumental challenge, disguised as the opportunity to create the life of your dreams. Big decisions are accompanied by independence and opportunity to chase new directions.
There are many things we cannot control in this world. We can, however, control how we let events affect our life. How we bring things into our own private world and keep events in our world is our own choice. We may not be able to control much of what happened the past few months, or events outside of us but, how the events are integrated into our life, used, defined and resolved are very much within our control.
How can we ensure this new year will bring the good things we want from life?
How can we ensure joy, inspiration and passion for ourselves?
Last year, many of us were consumed with crisis. We were plagued with questions like: How will we feed our families? Can I find extra work to pay my mortgage? How will I cope with my family problems? While we were busy feeding the goose that lays the proverbial golden egg, we lost sight of the actual golden egg.
Fundamental life questions were set aside while we took care of the sometimes harsh realities of life.
What do I want?
What makes me happy?
What is my dream career?
Why am I on this earth? (i.e., what is my purpose, reason for being, mission?)
Most importantly,
Do my actions support the answers to these fundamental questions?
Recently, I was reminded of something I used to say, “I’m so fortunate, I get to do _________, today.” Fill your day, with the completed version of this statement and “taking care of the realities of life,” will start taking care of themselves. Work is not really “work” when it is inspired and passionate.
As the new year dawns, cure the past gratitude, hope, pride, dignity, confidence and courage.
Then ask yourself,
what will I bring to this new year?
Have a truly happy, new year!
