A Fresh Start: Embracing the New Year Once More

Welcome 2024. Truly, I am happy to meet you, and I look forward to getting to know you better. I'm looking forward to the opportunities you will surely provide.

I'm working on a little project for the blog and while I was pondering the subject matter, I recalled a post I wrote here in a previous year. I re-read it, and I'm as content with it today as I was the day I hit publish. So, I decided to offer it once again for those looking for some thoughts about how to move forward into a new year with a positive attitude.

Be intentional. Make your choices count, no matter how small they may seem.

Love someone in action every single day, including yourself.

Move forward in every area of your life,  wherever you may be today. Keep in mind forward movement is relative for each person. Everyone is starting at a different place. Don't waste time comparing the place where you are in your journey to the place someone else is in their's. 

Watch to see if and what you learn new every day. Write down what you learn as often as you can. At the end of the year, you will be amazed to see the things you learn along the way.

Grow your faith, learn the story well. If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, know the story, share the story. Don't let it be lost in your generation.

If you are not a Christian, I challenge you to consider Pascal's wager. Check it out to see exactly what I'm talking about. All you have to lose is eternity.

Find a trusted friend and together take some old resentments off the shelf, examine them together, own them, then let them go. Let the wounds heal.

You have 365 days in the next year... or do you? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe you do, but someone you love doesn't. Don't waste a single opportunity to show and tell people you love them.

Do a personal inventory. Keep it sweet and simple. There are lost of suggestions to be found online to help guide you through the process. What worked during the past twelve months? What didn't? 

~Side note: the little project I was working on is now ready and available to download! Just subscribe to the blog and you will be able to download the Guided Monthly Reflection. A simple page for each month to answer a few questions. At the end of the year you'll have at least captured a few thoughts on which to reflect.~

If there is something that you need to do but are struggling to step into it, start with I want to want to. God, help me want to want to. 

There is utter freedom when we realize we each possess the power to choose our words.  Every time we choose not to gossip, lie, complain, manipulate, use sarcasm, we remove such burden from our shoulders. Peace descends... you want this, you know you do.

Use social media for good and not for evil. Or in most cases, simply use it to choose the above mentioned words wisely. Build people up, remind them we all have more in common than we realize. Life is better without drama.

Find like minded people to spend time with, but seek to develop friendships with people who don't look or think like you. We have so much to learn from each other.

Surround yourself with good things; people, music, movies, books, nature, lovely things that remind you of lovely people. 

Read and/or listen to something good every single day - daily readings, devotionals, scripture, podcasts, books, the stories behind good music. 

In-real-life conversations are still the best way to communicate in relationships. We are all created for community and connection, but loneliness is at an all time high. Find your people.

Explore your creative side, on purpose, but just for fun. Find or create a mastermind group to expand your knowledge of your craft; give and receive encouragement.

Look up, literally. Stop looking at your phone, the tv, computer or whatever else has captured your attention. Look up at the trees, the sky, the people walking by, the people sitting across the table from you, the birds. When is the last time you saw the stars on a clear, bright night? How about the moon? See them, really SEE them.

Get fresh air, seek nature wherever you are. Unless you live in a bubble, you can go outside for a few minutes every day, just to enjoy the fresh air.

Do your next right thing. Even if it's just washing your dishes.