Today is one of my absolute favorite days of the year! I love the feeling on New Year’s Eve of anticipation for what opportunities the new year will bring and to reflect on all that happened in the prior year. If you are like the millions of other people who like to set goals for the coming year, I have some unsolicited advice that I would like to pass on to you if you care to read further. These are things that I have learned in my many years on this earth that I wish I had known when I was younger (although my younger self probably wouldn’t have listened)!1. Don’t beat yourself up for all that you didn’t get done. Rather, pat yourself on the back for all that you DID accomplish. I think that most women carry around an impossibly long “to-do” list and go to bed at night anxious over the items remaining on that list. But have you ever taken an inventory at the end of the day of all that you got done?! If you were to list it out, you would be surprised (and hopefully very proud) to realize how much you accomplished, you amazing woman you!
2. Success is not an “all or nothing” thing. For years I have lived my life in extremes. If I was in “get healthy” mode, I would exercise like crazy and strictly follow whatever the current diet fad was. But if I slipped up on my diet and missed a couple of days of exercise, I was immediately in the mindset that I blew it, so I may as well eat that whole pizza! And since I ate that whole pizza yesterday, I may as well have french fries today! If I couldn’t get a 5 mile run in, why bother exercising at all? I had an epiphany a couple years ago that it doesn’t have to be that way. Each day is a new opportunity to do better! For that matter, each MOMENT is an opportunity to do better. If I ate that whole pizza yesterday, I can eat well today. If I can’t get an hour run in, I can squeeze in a 20 minute walk. It is the positive little steps, accumulated over time, that build up to great accomplishments.
I wish you all a safe, healthy and happy New Year and pray that 2014 is your best one yet!
