January is always a good month for making New Years resolutions and promises that hopefully will help us through each day and we will be better off because of the commitments we have made to ourselves.  Here are some thoughts to start 2009 off on the right foot:

January is always a good month for making New Years resolutions and promises that hopefully will help us through each day and we will be better off because of the commitments we have made to ourselves.  Here are some thoughts to start 2008 off on the right foot:

"PROMISE YOURSELF"

• To be strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind
• To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet
• To make all of your friends feel that there is something good in them
• To look on the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true
• To think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best
• To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others, as you would be about your own success
• To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements of the future

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself, that you have no time to criticize others

“Anxiety about the Future”

If there is one thing for certain, “All living creatures fear something”. Fear is part of who we are as human beings.  How we deal with and overcome it is a true test of our ability to conquer these fears as we struggle through these difficult times. 

Because fear comes at us in many shapes and forms, they will not all disappear by themselves and just go away.  Therefore, we need to teach ourselves how not to be afraid.  The following phrases are widely known and could be helpful to us as we manage these fears and have a “brighter” tomorrow:

• “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself”
• “Fear is not created by the world around us, but in the mind, by what we think is going to happen”
• “Good things often result from difficult things”
• “This to shall pass”
• “Patience is a virtue”
• “At least we are all in this together”
• “Your three best doctors are faith, time and patience”

May your problems be few, and your joys be many.

ENTHUSIASM

What a man accomplishes in a day depends upon the way he approaches his tasks.  When we accept tough jobs as a challenge to our ability and wade into them with joy and enthusiasm, miracles can happen.  When we do our work with a dynamic, conquering spirit, we get things done.

Maybe there is a bright spot in the “Economic Downturn.”  Could we possibly regain a sense of reality?  Hopefully many are realizing that we don’t need to drive around in $50,000 dollar vehicles or that it is mandatory to carry a 5 figure balance on our credit cards, and that tanning and fancy nails are not a necessity. 

Remember it is not how much you make, it’s about how much you spend.  Somehow, I can’t envision my parents ever buying me a $300.00 video game system just because I received a good report card. 

This is a great time to readjust our “ECONOMIC ATTITUDE” and remind ourselves to be happy with what we have and not be upset with what you don’t have

FATE

We create our fate every day…Most of the ills we suffer from are directly traceable to our own behavior.

THE TRUTH IS

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are”.

LAUGHTER

They say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  However, I lean more toward the adage, “Laughter is the best medicine”. 

Sometimes we take ourselves and our situations too serious.  Remember every day to laugh often.  If you are technically savvy, you may want to keep a few comedy CD’s on your MP3 player so when you need a comedy break, just plug it in and listen for a few minutes. 

Try this – it can change your entire perspective.

VISION

“You can vitally influence your life from within, by auto-suggestion.  The first thing each morning and the last thing each night suggest to yourself specific ideas that you wish to embody in your character and personality.  Address such suggestions to yourself, silently or aloud, until they are deeply impressed upon your mind.”

SUCCESS

      “Coming together is a beginning. 

      Keeping together is progress. 

      Working together is success”

October 2009

LIFE

The struggle of life is one of our greatest blessings.  It makes us patient, humble, sensitive and mindful of our surroundings

It teaches us that although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it.

We often do not understand why things are they way they are, but life has a way of repeating itself and preparing us for tomorrow by building our character to handle what life brings our way. 

November 2009

CONFIDENCE

“Confidence…thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance.  Without them it cannot live”.

December 2009

REFLECTION

As you reflect back on 2009:

I Hope….You accomplished many of your goals you established this past January 

I Hope….You spent time learning a new skill that added to your development

I Hope….You helped others grow

I Hope….You made some new friends and that those friendships will last a lifetime