From the Editor
We made it.
After a long season of holiday celebrations and a busy year, we have finally arrived at 2023’s doorstep.
Time has a funny way of slipping through our fingers while we’re caught up with our busy lives. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day details that we often don’t realize how quickly time is passing. Suddenly, we look up and it’s another New Year’s Eve.
As a child, remember how long a year seemed? Now, in the midst of life’s hustle and bustle, time seems to fly by.
My favorite part about this time of year is that it commands a pause, a reflection on the passage of time and an analysis of where we’ve been and where we’re going. As I shift my focus and set new intentions for the year ahead, I try to ask myself a few questions.
What belief did I hold in 2021 that changed in 2022, and why did it change? Was there a turning point in my life over the past 12 months? How much did I accomplish? What could I have done better? How can I improve my life personally and professionally?
Many of us feel pressured to have specific goals in mind. However, sometimes it is the more subtle changes that make all the difference; recognizing what you want more of and what you want less of.
Like many, I want more contentment, more gratitude, patience and grace, and much less drama and negativity. I want clearer boundaries and I want to be able to communicate them confidently.
Yet life is messy. There are always going to be frustrations, disappointments and plans gone awry. It’s how we respond that will either make us joyful or irritable.
Regardless of what life throws at you, I challenge you to choose joy. That simple decision gives us our power back.
They say the calmest person in the room is the most powerful. I believe that, but not for any of the reasons one might expect, like they have the most money or assets or an important title after their name. They are the most powerful because they repel life’s messiness and chaos like a duck sitting in the water, yet not getting wet.
If we can do the same, we become unstoppable. It’s not a “one and done” kind of deal, though. We have to keep choosing it again and again until eventually it becomes a way of being.
And then one day, in the midst of 101 problems, you will be as calm as a cucumber; smiling even when you don’t realize you’re smiling because you’ve got this. That’s my take on life. Every day I try to be more like a duck, not letting the water get to me.
I recently learned that substituting the phrase “I have to” with “I get to” helps me with gratitude. I get to take my dogs for a walk. It may feel cold outside, but I can move my body and enjoy nature while caring for my sweet pets. I get to cook dinner, and nourish my family while we discuss everyday highs and lows.
It’s all too easy to get caught up in the craziness of our jobs and routines. For me, I am going to press pause on the hustle and bustle and work to become more mindful of my blessings.
Pull out a journal and sit somewhere cozy and calm. Write down your thoughts and dreams and find a way to manifest them into reality. It’s amazing how the simple act of writing can be so therapeutic. Here’s my list:
1. Say “yes” to more memorable experiences.
2. Say “no” to things that are unproductive, negative or simply not for me. Guard and protect my time like the precious resource that it is.
3. Do not say “maybe” when I mean no. Have clear boundaries and communicate them confidently.
4. Grow gratitude. Talk about my life in a manner that expresses gratitude.
5. Be patient and kind, especially when it’s hard.
6. Grow grace. We are all learning as we go. Forgive more.
7. Do not gossip. Do not even listen to gossip.
8. Speak only the truth. There are no little lies.
9. Do not take things personally.
10. Get the routine medical screenings my doctor has been insisting on. Lose weight, exercise more and eat healthier.
Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Peace & Love,
Cindy
