Be prepared for all of the naysayers and doom and gloom about to come your way if you slip and mention that you’re making some New Year’s Resolutions this year! After laying your soul bare about how you’ll make yourself better, people are more than willing to throw dirt on the process and even the thought behind it. So here’s what you do when that happens…..

IGNORE THEM. IGNORE THEM. IGNORE THEM.

I don’t get it! I mean what do people have against making their lives better or their friends lives becoming better? The answer is always a “Well nothing but…..” There are a few other things I “don’t get” either…

•Why would a person not want to better themselves?

•Why would you not spend the time to assess where you are, where you want to go and how to get there?

•Why would we listen to the world say it’s stupid when we know deep within us it is needed.

That’s one of the reasons why people make these huge resolutions that have no chance  of success. Part self fulfilled prophecy, part “Get This Over As Quickly As We Can”, part peer pressure.

So here are some of my recommendations for making your 2020 New Year’s Resolutions.  First, make resolutions by the month, not by the year! Even then, make only 2 or 3 for the month, then on the 15th, check in and see how they’re doing. If you need to make adjustments, make em!

When it comes to resolutions, size matters! We all want things to change for the better in huge ways and we want it right now! Ain’t gonna happen!!! If you want to lose 20lbs next year, then shoot for losing 2lbs in January. As with my earlier point, see how you’re doing on the 15 and adjust if you need to.

Find the reason why you want the change in your life. Too often we pay attention to what others say or want and don’t pay enough attention to our true feelings. Once you come up with the resolution, ask yourself why?

I have more but finally, stop worrying so much about getting rid of things in your life and instead start planning on the things you need to add to your life! For instance, if you want to lose weight, what good foods can you add that you’ll also like that would make that happen? Only 1 or 2? Great! Give it a shot. Things too cluttered in the house? Maybe  adding some sort of furniture that would help keep things in order might help.

Find the good things in life and then make them part of your life!

One of those good things, is doing your best to make yourself a better you! New Year’s Resolutions can do that if you allow them too. All those yahoos telling you stupid it is to make them, won’t spend 24 hours a day with you or check in on you or have any clue what your heart or soul really, really wants. Only you know that. So when it comes to those naysayers telling you how stupid New Year’s Resolutions are, as I mentioned earlier in my very understated way… IGNORE THEM. IGNORE THEM. IGNORE THEM!

Happy New Year

Peace

     …..Gregg

The closer we get to the end of the year the more stress, frustration and even anger we feel. It might be due to the quickly approaching Holidays or the end of one year and the beginning of another. It also might be due to the obligations we feel about getting gifts, receiving gifts and/or spending time with our family and friends that in reality, might not be so friendly and of course the ever popular finances or lack thereof that go along with all of it.  Sadly, for many people, the deeper we get into the “Season of Love,” the less evidence of that love actually shows up! So, it’s up to us and what we focus on, not what others do or don’t do that might influence us to stay on or veer off course. that’s why FOCUS is the most important Holiday gift at your disposal!

Early this morning as I was outside with my dog Billy, I noticed two squirrels making their way up a tree. My attention stayed on them as they circled the tree on their climb higher and higher. Every once in a while, they’d stop and face each other as though they were talking. Soon they were jumping from limb to limb and back again. They seemed to be having a great time and so was I. Something else grabbed my attention for just a few seconds and when I looked back, they were gone. My focus had shifted and now it was time to move on and focus on another future memory. I relearned a big lesson this morning. Was I grateful for the memories that my focus had given me? Absolutely! Was I sorry that the time I spent wasn’t spent on something else? Absolutely not! But, here’s the big question…

WAS THE TIME I SPENT, WORTH IT? Once again, absolutely!

We make time for what we make time for. We choose the time to be mad or vengeful or loving or kind. It’s our choice how we feel and how we react.

If the shoppers at the store are being rude or the drivers on the road are full of rage, it’s up to us what we focus on and whether we join them or take another path.

If the people at a Holiday party or family get together are doing their best to “push your buttons,” it’s up to us what we decide to focus on and whether we decide to confront them and end up feeling lousy or take another path and make them all wonder why we’re so happy!

When we’re feeling lonely, forgotten, sad or unimportant it’s our choice whether to follow those negative emotions “down the rabbit hole” or focus on something, anything positive and follow it down better path.

Focus is our most important tool this Holiday but realizing that we both have it and can use it is the most important gift we can receive!

Where you focus is where you will end up. My wish for you is that you will both focus and end up in a good place this Holiday. When others around you are choosing to bring those around them down, my wish for you is that you find that place of peace within you and rest there until the noise around you has quieted. My wish for you is that you find yourself focusing less on the obligations and much more on the gratitude.

Find your focus. Listen to your focus. Follow your focus, believe in it and believe in you!

Peace

     …..Gregg

Is your life worth 10 seconds?

Do you have ten “extra” seconds in your day today? 10 seconds!

The sad truth is that we waste so much more time than that everyday. Our perception of usable time automatically goes to much bigger chunks than a measly 10 seconds.  I guess we somehow imagine that 10 seconds is such a small chunk of time, what could we possible do with it? The answer is, a lot!

•10 seconds to simply breath and focus only on that.

•10 seconds to say thank you, I love you or I care.

•10 seconds for a silent wish or thought.

•10 seconds of positive energy sent to someone close by or far away.

•10 seconds to remind yourself of who you are and what path you wish to be on.

•10 seconds to feel a thousand years of gratitude just waiting to walk with you.

•10 seconds to really notice, feel, hear and be enveloped by life.

Is your life worth 10 seconds?

You bet it is!

Do you have ten “extra” seconds in your day today? 10 seconds!

You bet you do! The extra bonus that goes along with that is there are a million different experiences waiting for you whenever you allow yourself to simply add 10 seconds to your life!

Peace

     ……Gregg