There are many blog postings and articles published this time of the year that provide tips on setting goals and keeping one's resolutions for the new year. This is not one of them.
Those offerings end up sounding far too contrived or too similar to a lecture from your mother. What this blog entry is about is one thing; just one grand idea, one master plan that will provide you with all you need to know to actually have a "happy" new year.
But first, the reason why this posting is not about goals and resolutions.
From an early age, we are constantly told to set and strive for goals. Some of us become very adept at attaining the goals we set. We wear the moniker of "go-getter" with pride. The ability to master the process of goal attainment may be more valuable than the goal itself; making goal attainment a highly valuable skill that symbiotically provides a means to an end.
But at some point, goals need to become personal - deeply personal. Not a mere means to an end, but fuel for the fire that resides deep within all of us. In fact, in this context, goals become like logs on a fire - they help to both ignite and sustain it. Why? Because any goal or accomplishment is more significant when achieved within a framework of significance.
But the New Year is about resolutions, so how do they differ from goals? Unlike goals, resolutions (meaning a firm decision to do, or not to do something) are really more about behavior modification. Because change is really hard for most people, 80% of those making new year's resolutions do not keep them...better yet, even remember them. Resolutions aren't totally pointless. It's better to have an awareness of what you need to change, and approach the new year with newly found optimism, than not to...
Which brings us back to what this blog posting, the first of 2019, is really about - how to have a happy new year. Once again, no lists, no multiple bullet points, just this:
Embrace your mission!
Yes, if you have a mission, the new year is the time to fully embrace it; especially if you realize that you may have lost your grip on it during the previous year. If you don't have a mission, then it behooves you to create one to embrace.
Because our lives are lived from moment-to-moment, day-to-day, living life with true commitment to one's mission brings more meaning to each moment, and real purpose to each day. If your goal is to have a happy (or happier) new year, it moves closer in reach when your mission drives your thoughts, decisions, and actions. This realization will help you have a happy new year this year, and every year.
Those offerings end up sounding far too contrived or too similar to a lecture from your mother. What this blog entry is about is one thing; just one grand idea, one master plan that will provide you with all you need to know to actually have a "happy" new year.
But first, the reason why this posting is not about goals and resolutions.
From an early age, we are constantly told to set and strive for goals. Some of us become very adept at attaining the goals we set. We wear the moniker of "go-getter" with pride. The ability to master the process of goal attainment may be more valuable than the goal itself; making goal attainment a highly valuable skill that symbiotically provides a means to an end.
But at some point, goals need to become personal - deeply personal. Not a mere means to an end, but fuel for the fire that resides deep within all of us. In fact, in this context, goals become like logs on a fire - they help to both ignite and sustain it. Why? Because any goal or accomplishment is more significant when achieved within a framework of significance.
But the New Year is about resolutions, so how do they differ from goals? Unlike goals, resolutions (meaning a firm decision to do, or not to do something) are really more about behavior modification. Because change is really hard for most people, 80% of those making new year's resolutions do not keep them...better yet, even remember them. Resolutions aren't totally pointless. It's better to have an awareness of what you need to change, and approach the new year with newly found optimism, than not to...
Which brings us back to what this blog posting, the first of 2019, is really about - how to have a happy new year. Once again, no lists, no multiple bullet points, just this:
Embrace your mission!
Yes, if you have a mission, the new year is the time to fully embrace it; especially if you realize that you may have lost your grip on it during the previous year. If you don't have a mission, then it behooves you to create one to embrace.
Because our lives are lived from moment-to-moment, day-to-day, living life with true commitment to one's mission brings more meaning to each moment, and real purpose to each day. If your goal is to have a happy (or happier) new year, it moves closer in reach when your mission drives your thoughts, decisions, and actions. This realization will help you have a happy new year this year, and every year.
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