Memories or Mysteries for 2019

December 31, 2018 | Commentary, Personal | Leave A Comment

Happy New Year’s Eve

Memories or Mysteries for 2019

Well, here we are. Another year dissolves as we gather together on the last day of 2018. This year has been a tumultuous one for the world, our country, and most of us personally. Because of the year’s upheaval, I stepped back and took a long look at how I approached each new year. I would make the expected and proverbial “resolutions” and then watch as they died during the year. Usually forgotten, mostly abandoned, often supplanted by other ideas. My approach never worked.

Then I learned to stop making resolutions. Instead, about a decade ago I decided to make GOALS. These didn’t have to have timelines like “Lose 10 lbs a month.” What a goal did was to help me identify projects and then I established timelines to meet those projects based on my personal abilities. I began to succeed. Just look at my published resume. But my personal resume didn’t seem as successful.

I learned that having goals wasn’t enough. I needed a way to channel my energy. Some way to help direct my thoughts. One year it was POWER. One year it was INSPIRATION. The better the word, the more I felt purpose, the harder I worked on my goals.

Basically I learned from my life that with every New Year’s Eve I had a choice. Either I could spend my tine evaluating the past, looking back and trying to fix what I didn’t do, or where I didn’t go, or meet the people I neglected. OR I could face forward and approach the future without expectations and with goals in hand. Yes, the future would be an unknown but if I prepared with a strong word and good goals, I could meet any challenge.

That’s the key. Do you spend your time looking back or looking forward? Looking back is the Road of Memories. Looking forward is the Road of Mysteries.

I’m choosing Mystery.

And my word for this year? FOCUS. I’m focusing on my personal self. As I’ve already said in my last Fireside chat (you can watch it here), my first priority will be me. I need to get healthy and the first part of that word is HEAL. So I will work to heal the parts of me that are aching (a bad knee and surgical recovery). And once I heal then I start my road to being healthy. I’m not going to say “lose x pounds” because I’m going to lose weight by opting to change my life to be healthier. The rest takes care of itself.

See how it works? No more self-stress or self-imposed resolutions. No more setting self up for failure. Now I will succeed because health and healing come first. As long as I FOCUS, that will happen and my personal self will improve. Hint: Write it down and leave it for yourself in every room. Put it on the fridge, in the writing room, in the bathroom, on your nightstand, in your purse or attached to your laptop. Let the word become your mantra for the year and become it. This really WILL help you!

Professionally, I have three key projects for the year. I’m dedicated to them. If more are possible, then great! But I have my FOCUS and my GOALS and I’m surging ahead with them in mind. The mystery of “COMING SOON” will carry me through to completion. Excited yet? More on those soon!

I welcome the mystery of what completion of my goals will bring to me. And I’m not going to worry if people don’t agree, do more, do less, approve or disapprove. The only thing that matters is that I stay true to my course and am happy with my personal success.

That’s what I recommend for you – a word to channel your energies. And goals without unrealistic stress.

To that end, I hope we will be together during the next year. I hope you will join me on this mysterious journey called Life. Remember to sign up for my newsletter and join my Evening Bower Fan/Readers group. I am doing giveaways and telling secrets ONLY to those two groups for now.