Want to have a perfectly happy 2009?
Yes, I am talking about New Year’s resolutions… just not the kind you’re thinking about.
How did you measure up this last year?
Like it or not, New Years Day comes around on a regular basis to remind us of our successes, accomplishments and of the personal promises we failed to deliver.
New Years day feels like a “touchstone” for most of us.
In ancient times, “a touchstone” referred to the gritty black surface that the first gold and silver coins could be rubbed against to identify their value. Today, “touchstone” has come to mean anything that measures the quality of something.
As a “touchstone,” New Years Day is unyielding.
In the last month, I’ve been a “backboard” for so many people who are promising themselves to turn over a new leaf in the New Year. They talk about losing weight, stopping smoking, spending less frivolously, tearing up credit cards and/or knocking off the booze.
It’s always a good idea if you can understand a personal challenge and visualize a solution. But what about going beyond the negative stuff? (I think I once did meet somebody who was perfect… but I can’t remember if this person was male or female.)
Assume it was you. Would you be willing to commit to some kind of positive change in 2009, anyway?
“Leave me alone,” you say. “I’m doing fine… pick on somebody else.”
But YOU, dear friend, are the person the rest of us can learn from. You seem to naturally pick out a goal and then follow through. Impressive.
You think it’s fun to come up with some new plan or another. You just know that there’s got to be better resolutions than just eliminating the negative stuff, like the rest of us mere mortals.
So, how exactly, are YOU going to use this New Year “touchstone?”
Dear Friends: Identify who you think is the most “perfect” person in your life. (Chances are that they are not all that perfect , anyway.) But you can learn from that person’s positive behavior anyway.
TRY THIS:
I challenge you to take charge in this pivotal, “touchstone” moment:
. Choose a new hobby or decide to pursue an old one.
. Put new energy into the relationships which you most value
. Create a timeline for short-term goals and long-term aspirations.
. Call an old friend.
. Help someone in need
. Do something which makes you laugh or sing.
. Take a class
. Smile more, at your kids, at your spouse, at your parents, at your co-workers, and yes, even at strangers.
If you do some of these things, you’re likely to have a more exciting new year.
Email Dr. Linda
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