Out with the Old, in with the New

Welcome!  And, Happy New Year!

                                                 The Dawning of a New Day
                                          From the Darkness Comes the Light.


Morning is the promise of a new and better day than the one before. 

In the same way, how great to have the opportunity to begin anew, to be given another chance, to wipe the slate clean and to start over, to have a better year than the previous one.

This is a good time to take inventory of your life, to learn from the mistakes of the previous year, and to see how your life could be better in the new year.

(Note: Disclaimer: I am neither a psychologist nor an expert on how to live one's life, but with this blog post, I am merely sharing things that I have learned through study and through the living of my life which, hopefully, some people might find helpful.)

I believe it's a good thing to get rid of anything that no longer serves you, whether it's something physical
or spiritual.

Out with the old:
Examples-
Old clothes (that no longer fit you or your lifestyle)
Old beliefs (Gossip is a fun, harmless pastime.)
Old hurts (Let go of the past, including any toxic situations or relationships.)

Try making positive changes to your life, no matter how large or small.

In with the new:
Examples-
A new hobby (Learn a new language or take up painting.  The list of hobbies is endless!)
Make new friends.  Find people who are like-minded by joining a club or other group that you're interested in.  (Tennis, anyone?)
Volunteer.  (Do you have a talent that you could share with others?  What about entertaining folks at a retirement center?)

If you've tried making resolutions before, you probably realize how difficult they can be to keep.  Here are some helpful hints on being a successful resolution-keeper:

Keep it simple.  Instead of trying to make ten improvements in your life for the year, narrow them down to three at the most.  That way, you can concentrate your efforts on those few and not set yourself up
for failure by trying to do too much.
Write down your goals and put them in a prominent place where you can see them often, to help you stay on track.
Make the resolutions a part of your daily routine as much as possible.  For example, if learning to type is one of your goals, set aside a certain time each day (let's say from 7:00 PM-7:30PM) until you've mastered the technique.
Be sure these goals are something you really want to achieve.  Being enthusiastic about them will help see you through to the end.
Enlist the help of someone you trust to encourage you along the way.
Self-help books, etc. can also be a big help.
Visualize yourself accomplishing your goal.  (See yourself driving that new car!)
Give yourself little rewards. For example, buy yourself a copy of your favorite magazine after you've gone a whole day without saying a negative thing about anyone.
Be sure your goal is realistic. (If you've just started taking acting lessons, chances are that you won't be performing on Broadway by the end of the year.  Who knows, though? Anything is possible!)
Did you know that in just 21 days a new habit is formed?  (Stick with it for three weeks, and you're well on your way to being successful in fulfilling your dream!)

You might be wondering if I have any resolutions.  Yes, in fact, I do.  One of them is to get at least seven hours of sleep every night.  I have been giving too much time to my projects and not enough time to taking care of myself.  I know that getting adequate sleep is important to help one look, feel, and even think better.  I am currently making plans to accomplish this goal.  Just a bit of adjusting of my schedule should do it.  I'll keep you posted in some future blog posts on how well I'm keeping this resolution.

My ongoing resolution, of course, is to be more positive!  That's a great goal for anyone wanting to have a much better life.

So, what are your 2,012 New Year's resolutions?  Don't be concerned, because if you fall, you can just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep at it!  You can do it!

Remember: You can begin improving your life any day of the year, not just on New Year's Day!

The peacock is a symbol of resurrection.  It most closely resembles the legendary phoenix that arises from the flames of its own ashes.  (Paraphrased from Animal Speak by Ted Andrews, a fascinating book.)

Positive thought: 2,012 is my time to shine!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next time (Sunday, January 8, 2012), Becky