New Years Resolutions 2019
We can initiate change in our lives whenever we wish, but the start of a new year is always a great moment to think about what we want to achieve next year and beyond. Not just to define some ambitious and concrete goals with real resolve, but also recommit to how we want our lives to be and perhaps, more importantly, how we want to be as people.
A sage might argue that our age is not how many years we have lived, but rather how many years we have left. The past is irrelevant because we can’t change it. Life is about savouring the present moment intensely, about weathering the downs, bouncing back and making the ups by always looking up. We all have unfulfilled dreams, we don’t know when our time will come and none of us wish to die with regrets. Nothing gets easier as we grow older, so the best time is NOW.
No matter how great our lives are already, we all have the inner certainty that there is yet another level – one of love, connection, passion, gratitude, joy and success.So I must value and employ the most powerful resources I possess: courage, faith, hope, determination, passion and the drive to grow, contribute and celebrate life at the deepest level. Not to change myself, but rather to become myself. It’s not what I acquire that will make me happy, but who I become. This is the only meaningful and lasting aspect of life.
Right now, I’m thinking in broad terms about:
– How I wish to be in my numerous “outer” roles as a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend, an in-law and a coach.
– To be the change I want to see in the world. I will give a lot of focus to caring for others far less fortunate – especially the terminally ill, the elderly, the abandoned and the abused. And particularly on how I behave when circumstances or people are tough to stomach. Can I avoid judging others, rising to anger and truly forgive? This is the toughest of all my goals.
– My health goals: my exercise and diet habits. I’d love to feel and look not just great as I hit 50 and well beyond. Absolutely unbelievable!
– Where I wish to take my business and how fast I wish to grow. The work-life balance I desire. The activities I most enjoy and the impact I wish to have as a coach. Work must not compromise the above three goals.
– Finally there are the practicalities: the holidays and places to visit, the books I wish to read (I’ve just purchased about twenty!), the things I wish to learn, the people I want to reconnect with, the things I want to cook…
In general, it’s great to have lists of things to do and a good idea to be really structured about those you consider most important. If you are in a relationship then sitting down together and dreaming about all the experiences you wish to share as a couple or family is such a beautiful and meaningful exercise. To go beyond the long list of routine obligations and dream about the future and also to truly exist with gratitude in the here and now is absolutely essential for happy and resilient relationships.
But I’ve also learnt to appreciate that life is fragile and highly unpredictable. I believe that the only true measure of success is happiness and inner peace. And true happiness begins within – how you view yourself, the world and your place within it. Which is why gratitude is such a great place to start.
But the only essential for 2019 is love. In 2019 I will love more than I have ever loved before.
Happy New Year! May it be filled with Love, peace, great health, growth and exciting new adventures.