I am always reminded this time of year that if I made any New Year’s resolutions, statistically I would have bailed on them! Since I know this and realize the odds are not in my favor, I didn’t bother making any resolutions this year.
That doesn’t mean that I haven’t resolved to make some changes. In fact, just the opposite is true. And removing the stress of fulfilling New Year’s Resolutions was one change that has been very helpful.
Life is filled with difficulties we often don’t see coming. It may sound a bit cliché, but those difficulties really can be viewed in two ways – the glass is half empty or half full. To say it another way, these difficulties can be viewed as threats or opportunities. When faced with several unforeseen circumstances at the same time, it can become an opportunity to see what really matters most. It may not be easy, but it is always worth the effort.
There are a few qualities I want to exhibit no matter what time of year it is and no matter what I am facing. I want to be kind – always. I want to be grateful. I want to DO gratitude. I have found that the more I am exposed to something, the more I think about it. And the more I think about it, the more I do it. In my life, even the things that really matter to me sometimes fail to get the attention I really want to give them. A gentle reminder is sometimes all I need.
I often write a note to myself and leave it in my car, on my bathroom mirror, on the computer at my desk – to remind myself of what really matters and to bring to mind the things I really want to be focusing on. The more I think about it, the easier it becomes to do! We all need friendly reminders occasionally – why not have that reminder be from me to me!
~Michele
