It’s that time of the year again where we count the days till the new year arrives. Along with it is the nagging question at the back of our heads; (or is it just me?): Has 2019 been a good year for me? Did I make full use of the year?
It is a valid question. As we get a year older, it does seem that time passes by much faster, doesn’t it? We would somehow be frantic when the end of the year comes; knowing that the year is running out.
We can’t do much for what has happened before; the good news is that we can always prepare ourselves and make sure we do not make the same mistake again!
1: Have faith that things will work out
Don’t get me wrong. It doesn’t mean we can sit back and hope that everything will get done without lifting a finger. It means that we know that things have a way of working things out once we TAKE action.
We can not be paralysed by uncertainty; waiting for every condition to be suitable or perfect before we do things. Life isn’t perfect; we make do with what we have.
We don’t mean that we rush into things. Be prudent; make sure that we don’t hold back unnecessarily. Sometimes, it’s just our fear holding us back. Recognise that and have a little faith!
But what if we fail?
Recognise that failure is the norm. We learn from failure; embrace it. It could also be good for you, it could be a stepping stone to greater things. Steve Jobs did things which was totally different from computing before he dropped out of Reed College; studying calligraphy. This resulted in the Mac having beautiful typography.
Many successful persons failed many times before achieving success
2: Plan
Plan your time well. It’s high time to get that journal/diary/planner and start USING it!
It is hard for some of us to start this. (writer: I, too, am guilty of this) But we can always try; make it a resolution to have a journal/diary/planner and use it for the year!
The benefits of having a journal is well documented. Why not get into this good habit and reap its benefits!
3: Reflect and be thankful
Reflect. Urghh. I kind of hate that many people have used this word ad nauseam. So I’ve added “be thankful” to it.
How do we reflect? We look at what went wrong. What can be improved. Make a mental note, or even better, write in that journal of ours (see what I did there? Sneaky, sneaky) Ensure that we do things better in the future.
We also look at what went right. We have to learn what works. We can always see how something isn’t right. It is actually harder to see what does work. Once we figure it out, see how we can improve on it. Be better everyday.
Recognise the help we got along the way. Remember that no man is an island. Sometimes we forget that we have gotten here with a little help from someone else. Never underestimate the how the little things can affect you. If you are religious, be thankful to the Almighty for making the process smooth.
All the best!
Hope this gives you some ideas on how to improve your year and make it better. Do follow us and share the page!