New Year’s Day brings the usual vows to give up something negative in our life, like smoking or cutting back on debt or to stop drinking too much or eating unhealthy. We wrap up all of our 2007 old habits, in the left over Christmas wrap, and package them nicely into our New Year’s Resolution.
I think, the best resolutions are about doing something positive instead of giving up something negative. Like what? You might ask. Well, how about just moving forward. Moving forward in our thinking, simplifying, working smarter not harder, loving more, forgiving more or showing random acts of kindness, are all positive things that can really impact you more fully as well as those around you.
Woody Allen said “eighty percent of success is just showing up.” Well that might work in the movie industry but I am not quite sure that works in the real world. If we apply that concept then we are really not using what God gave us, He designed us to work and I am confident He did not just mean 20% of the time. So, what if we take Woody Allen’s concept of showing up for success and apply the moving forward concept in our work environment:
Show up 100% of the time, people are depending on you. But if you are sick stay home, we don’t want to get it!
When you are at work; work. Slow the socializing, just because you have a lull in your day does not mean everyone else does too. Interruptions waste time, research shows that it takes the average person 5 minutes to refocus after an interruption.
Glance back at your past to draw from experience, but don’t stare! Does anyone really need to be reminded about what you did last year, in your last job or in college? The past is tricky, like Satan, it tries to trap you into believing the good old days were better than they really were. Guess what, they are over, learn from them and move forward.
Be creative, God made each of us in His image and He is a creative God. If you are not naturally creative, research your problem until you can borrow ideas from someone else who is. Nothing is new under the sun.
Embrace change, good or bad. If it is a good change for you, enjoy it, really enjoy it. If it is something you perceive as bad then figure out what got you into that position and choose to change your attitude.
When the weather outside is frightful is your outlook still sunshine? Every day you have a choice to be negative or positive the choice is solely up to you. Choose wisely.
Simplify. Nice concept, hard to apply. What things can you eliminate out of your life so you can refocus on the right priorities? God first, family second, work third.
Love others more, love the people that matter the most…your spouse, your children, your extended family, your friends, your co-workers and get this one…even your enemies!
Forgive more, that starts by forgiving your-self first and then practice forgiveness on others by not acting on what your thinking. Yikes try that one, it is hard!
Show random acts of kindness, it is amazing the joy you can receive by doing something kind to those you work with.
2008, it’s a New Year. I pray you make positive changes to advance the Kingdom of God. Maybe, just maybe if we give 100% every day instead of 80% by just showing up we can do what God wants us too instead of what we want to.
Just keep moving forward, Tammy