After a beautiful Christmas, filled with the joy of family, friends and laughter, it is time to turn the corner. Sharing my usual, tiresome list of New Year's Resolutions is a task I find a bit embarrassing. It usually reads something like this:
1. Lose weight.
I believe I am the exact same weight I was last year and the year before. I am active and I enjoy life.
2.Write every day.
Mission accomplished! I wrote something every day in 2012, kept up with my blog schedule and completed the second draft of my novel in progress, now entitled Four Stanley Cups and a Funeral.
3. Be grateful for my wonderful life.
In spite of being a terrible complainer, I give thanks for my great, good fortune every day. This category needs improving and this year I will do better.
4. Read incessantly.
I cannot breathe without reading and I believe my hands shake if I am four hours into my day without absorbing something. Perhaps it is not really wise to make my New Year's Resolutions about the things I love best. It stands to reason though, that a reminder about the cherished aspects of my existence will not fall too far off the mark. I would like to get up to reading a book a week, reading more non-fiction, write more non-fiction and expand my reading list. What works best for me is setting aside certain times of the day, getting into my great chair with its comfortable ottoman, putting my feet up and taking an interesting journey, guided by a fine writer. One of the best pieces of advice and this seems to be everywhere, is to give yourself the time to do what you love best.
5. Worship.
The further I go down this list, the more I feel I should reverse it.
6. Begin the year by jumping in the lake.
Once again, I will join friends, neighbors and perfect strangers in the annual Polar Bear Plunge. If you can meet the challenge of running across the snowy sand and into the frigid waters, going under so as to come up with wet hair, and charging to shore without being trampled, means you start the new year with joy and laughter. After receiving a blessing from a tribal elder, I make this a sacred act of reverence for the people who have inhabited these shores since time immemorial.
In the midst of pondering this annual challenge, my weekly pep talk arrived, thanks to an email list I signed up for and highly recommend you do the same. My old friend Tim Cork takes a new look at the challenge of New Year's Resolutions. This year, my list will not lie buried in a notebook. I will tape it up to something in my line of sight. It won't even be my list! This concept represents one of the greatest feelings of liberation I can possibly imagine. Tim is an expert at this game. I begin 2013 with a professional look at what will make my year perhaps the best ever. Oh, I feel lighter already!
1. Lose weight.
I believe I am the exact same weight I was last year and the year before. I am active and I enjoy life.
2.Write every day.
Mission accomplished! I wrote something every day in 2012, kept up with my blog schedule and completed the second draft of my novel in progress, now entitled Four Stanley Cups and a Funeral.
3. Be grateful for my wonderful life.
In spite of being a terrible complainer, I give thanks for my great, good fortune every day. This category needs improving and this year I will do better.
4. Read incessantly.
I cannot breathe without reading and I believe my hands shake if I am four hours into my day without absorbing something. Perhaps it is not really wise to make my New Year's Resolutions about the things I love best. It stands to reason though, that a reminder about the cherished aspects of my existence will not fall too far off the mark. I would like to get up to reading a book a week, reading more non-fiction, write more non-fiction and expand my reading list. What works best for me is setting aside certain times of the day, getting into my great chair with its comfortable ottoman, putting my feet up and taking an interesting journey, guided by a fine writer. One of the best pieces of advice and this seems to be everywhere, is to give yourself the time to do what you love best.
5. Worship.
The further I go down this list, the more I feel I should reverse it.
6. Begin the year by jumping in the lake.
Once again, I will join friends, neighbors and perfect strangers in the annual Polar Bear Plunge. If you can meet the challenge of running across the snowy sand and into the frigid waters, going under so as to come up with wet hair, and charging to shore without being trampled, means you start the new year with joy and laughter. After receiving a blessing from a tribal elder, I make this a sacred act of reverence for the people who have inhabited these shores since time immemorial.
In the midst of pondering this annual challenge, my weekly pep talk arrived, thanks to an email list I signed up for and highly recommend you do the same. My old friend Tim Cork takes a new look at the challenge of New Year's Resolutions. This year, my list will not lie buried in a notebook. I will tape it up to something in my line of sight. It won't even be my list! This concept represents one of the greatest feelings of liberation I can possibly imagine. Tim is an expert at this game. I begin 2013 with a professional look at what will make my year perhaps the best ever. Oh, I feel lighter already!
I will be grateful
I will listen… focus on being presentI will do my best everyday
I will share
I will collaborate
I will compliment people
I will live without regret
I will respect myself at all times
I will forgive and accept myself when I make a mistake
I will read something new every day
I will write in my journals
I will read 40 books this year
I will launch my new book … “G3”
I will speak to over 25,000 people this year
I will listen to self-help audio books in my car … your car is just a University on wheels
I will make those around me feel loved
I will forever pursue happiness regardless of what occurs
I will take responsibility for my actions
I will surround myself with people who inspire me
I will laugh at myself
I will hug my wife and children often
I will help those in need
I will use kind words in difficult situations
I will live with an attitude of gratitude
I will respect others points of view
I will pick myself up when I fall
I will work out every day
I will drink lots of water (and wine)
I will say sorry when I make a mistake and mean it
I will take a break when I need it
I will live every day as if it is the first and the last
I will not be driven by fear
I will find extraordinary in every day
I will enjoy my food
I will be patient
I will get up early
I will teach leaders and learn from leaders through my work
I will read this list every morning
I will not take myself too seriously
I will cry when my emotions tell me to
I will listen to my inner voice
I will focus on the attitude of giving
I will play hockey, golf, tennis, swim and ski regularly in season and stay very active
"Whether you think you can or can't, you are right" - Henry Ford
I read my list every day when I wake up and it jump starts my day … positive affirmations & repetition creates excellent habits and a life of abundance and success.
Make it Straight A's Week & Year!
Seasons Greeting and all the best for 2013!
Tim Cork
President, Straight A’s Inc.
An Insight Marketing Company
416-882-9650
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Are you getting Straight A's in life?
Find out at www.timcork.com
4 comments:
One hour until I run into the lake! I just did hip hop abs with Sean T in order to warm up.
Oh my gosh, Liz! You are inspiring in so many ways. Thank you for these wonderful resolution goals. I have done some already this morning,and plan to begin others, but...ahem...jumping in lake will probably not be one of them, not yet at least.
The best to you and yours.
Nancy, thank you so much. I am just now going to get out my old bathing suit from 1910.
Great resolutions Mom!
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