Wednesday, January 22, 2014


now what?

The new year is almost one month gone.  You managed to avoid the usual family disagreements at most of the holiday get-togethers and maybe even resolved an issue or two.  The emotional roller-coaster had more ups than downs and you’re feeling pretty good about the future. So, now what?  How do you continue 2014 with the momentum that you had in mind when you made those New Year’s resolutions that (this time) you fully intend to keep? 

You might begin by not giving the tasks ahead the power to overwhelm you.  After all, regardless of how many good intentions you have, they can only be addressed one at a time.  With that in mind, consider setting some priorities and a basic time line for what to do when.  If like most of us, you discover that your time frame doesn’t always coincide with the real world, be willing to revise and re-start as you go.  If in January it seemed worth doing, it probably still is.

Build your self-confidence by learning from the past.  Friedrich Nietzsche is quoted as saying, “What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.”  Stronger because we pay attention and commit to not making the same mistakes.  Stronger because we learn valuable lessons for our experiences.  Stronger because we made it though “that” challenge and now know that we can do “it” again.  Learning from the past is not the same as living there.  Instead, learning from it allows us to let it go.

Connect.  Routinely connect with others that are important to you.  We are hard wired to be connected to others--that ability is why we exist.  Sure, interaction with some people can be the most difficult part of the day.  But connecting with those who are significant to us is a continual reminder that we are worthy to love and to be loved.  With those connections we make a contribution to the best of humanity and we feel safe to be ourselves.

Remain optimistic.  The most resilient of people are those who nurture their optimism, allowing it to pull them along through the toughest of times.  Optimism doesn’t come easily for everyone—it takes intentional practice and, again, is supported by feeling connected.

Dream of a better future.  Learn and grow from the past.  Be fully connected in the present.  See the glass as half full.  If speaking to someone in confidence will help, remember your Employee Assistance Program.  Call us.  770-834-8327.

No comments:

Post a Comment