January 19, 2010- New Year's Day!

Each year as New Year's Eve and Day approach, my mind turns to making goals for the new year. It used to be all about the numbers- how much money, watching my weight, studying a certain amount of time each day, number of daddy daughter dates for the next year, etc. I became fixated on goals that were measurable, realistic, time specific and actionable. As soon as the numbers slipped, even a little, I became discouraged.

A New Year, A New Way of Thinking

On the first of the year I asked myself, "Why can't I start each month with this type of introspection? But then again, what about the beginning of each week? Hey, what about each new day being filled with hope, excitement, and introspection?"

Then and there I decided to, as much as possible, make each day the beginning of a new year. What does that mean?

• Everyday day is a day to wake up excited about
• Goals can be renewed everyday, regardless of my success of reaching them yesterday
• I am continually optimistic about the year in front of me
• My family, friends, and partners (not mutually exclusive, one from the other) are cherished in my life and I look for reasons to be with them

How Do I Feel?

Part two to my new year is to continually ask myself, "What do I need to do to feel good about today?" This will answer two questions:

1. What is important? Accomplishing important tasks makes me feel great!
2. What do I need to do to take care of myself and the ones I love? Unless I take care of myself and them, I will not feel good about the rest of my life.

Crunching the Numbers

Do I still care about the numbers? Absolutely, but in a completely different way. They allow me to track my progress and keep score, but they do not dictate to me if I am a winner or a loser. I win every day that I make progress- personally or professionally.

What do you do to keep the spirit of the new year alive?