It is a brand new year and that represents a fresh start - new goals, new dreams and a new outlook on life. If 2010 was good, 2011 can be even better! Wipe the slate clean – it is time for a new beginning! It is time to lose that extra 10 (or 30 or 50) pounds. It is time to refocus on your business plans and career goals. It is time to have meaningful relationships in your business and personal life.
Take the time to focus on YOU. Focus on what makes you feel happy and fulfilled. Understand your core values and decide what you are and are not willing to compromise on. Have an honest conversation with yourself about who you really are, what you bring to the table and what you want out of life.
What vision do you have for your life? Are you living with purpose, passion and faith? You can create the life you want for yourself if you understand your purpose, follow your passion and have the courage to step out on faith. We are all born with gifts and talents that the world is waiting for and we are robbing the world if we keep them to ourselves.
When creating a new beginning, it is important to look at all areas of your life – your relationships (start with the most important one - your relationship with God), your health, your business or career, your finances, etc. Review the goals you have in every sphere of life and create a plan for each one. Anything worth having, whether it is a business, a home or a relationship, requires regular maintenance and upkeep to keep it at its best.
It might be time to take stock of your current relationships. Do your relationships enhance or frustrate you? Are those in your inner circle supportive of you and of your goals? Sometimes, making a fresh start involves removing yourself from unhealthy relationships. Build associations with people whose values match your own.
It might be time to actually use that gym membership that you’re already paying for or to dust off the treadmill that is sitting in your living room (or is that just me…?). Maybe it’s time to rewrite your business plan so that your plan reflects the new goals you’ve set for 2011. Perhaps this is the year to sit down with your financial planner and rework your retirement plan.
Remember the lessons you have learned in the past, but keep focused on the future. No experience was a waste of time if you are able to grow from it and move forward. Acknowledge your mistakes and recognize the ways in which you are wiser. Break the cycles that are holding you back and make the changes that you need to make in your life in order to attract what you seek.
Free yourself from guilt, bitterness and regret. Carrying baggage into the future is like trying to drive a car by looking in the rear view mirror. Unpack those bags and start the year with a fresh outlook.
Be grateful for your blessings. Appreciating what we already have is the cornerstone of life satisfaction. It only gets better from there!
With a positive outlook, the world can be your oyster. If you are not satisfied with your past, begin again. This is the time to do it. I heard someone say, “God blesses action, not ideas.” It is time to get our goals and ideas out of our heads and into the universe. It is a new year and it is time for action! Always be open to new possibilities. You never know what is just around the corner…
Talayah G. Stovall, Pres., TGrace, is an author, keynote speaker, radio host, life purpose coach and Managing Director of Vision Catalyst Consulting. For information on speaking or coaching, as well as her motivational audio CDs, “P.U.M.P. It UP! and 7 Secrets to Ignite Your Dreams, her book, Crossing the Threshold: Opening Your Door to Successful Relationships, eBook, 150 Important Questions You Should Ask Before You Say “I Do”, or newsletter “EmPOWERed to…”, please visit www.talayahstovall.com, www.visioncatalystconsulting.com, or email talayah@talayahstovall.com