A New Year: A New You

This is the beginning of a new year and a time to reflect and think about what’s next.

Are you ready to become your best you? Are you ready to chart a new course? If you are ready, then begin your year with a declaration of “I Will.”

Say "I will" to seeking out opportunities within your organization. If you are thinking about starting a business, let go of the fear of not knowing and take the risk. You may surprise yourself. Many successful people declared the victory and said "I will" to the challenges, to the difficulties and to the discouragement. Challenges are going to be a part of our life until the day we die.

Don’t get distracted! Be a light and see the challenges and the obstacles for what they are. When you enter a dark room, you move carefully, not knowing what lies in front of you, however, when you turn on the light you can see your way. Let the “I will” be your light in charting a new course in your career as well as your business.

Most of us for the New Year make resolutions about losing weight. Declare today that “I will” lose the weight, "I will" be healthy. To do this remember that you must be willing to forgo the desserts, the sugary drinks and the excessive saturated fats. Will you say “I will” to exercise? Changing your diet is great; you should also incorporate an exercise regimen. Set goals that are achievable. For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds, do it by taking baby steps. See yourself losing five pounds or ten pounds first. If you say to yourself that I will lose five pounds during the month of January, then that equates to 1.25 pounds per week. That doable! The key to being successful in your weight loss is to say “I will” to what works best for you.

The next “I will” is to your money! Say "I will" to saving at least ten percent of your paycheck. Say "I will" to getting out of debt. Say "I will" to cutting up credit cards and not using them as a means of paying your daily expenses. Make a declaration that "I will" no longer be a prisoner of debt, of lack, of frustration. When you are in debt and struggling to pay your bills; it robs you of your peace, your joy, your happiness, and most of all your freedom. Turn it around; say I will to controlling your impulses, say I will to developing an attitude of gratitude. When you are grateful and thankful for life, you come to the realization that "things don’t make you happy"; especially if you are trying to keep up with the “Jones's" by spending your hard earned money instead of paying the rent. Is it worth it?

Lastly, say “I will” to healthy and respectful relationships with others as well as with self. In 2017 say "I will" to getting in touch with the spiritual you. It is important to have a spiritual relationship with the “Divine One.” Who your “Divine One” is, is of no consequence to anyone but you. Get connected, don’t rely on someone else to define how your relationship should be with your God, your Higher Power, The Divine One, the Infinite. Your goal is to have a personal relationship and only you can decide what this means to you.

Say "I Will" to healthy and respectful relationships with your family, friends and your significant other. Don’t let others control you and likewise don’t try to control others. If you can say “I will” to healthy and respectful relationships, you can and will have joy, peace and happiness in the New Year.

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right."

-Oprah Winfrey

"The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today."

-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.