We are already over a week in to the New Year. Some may have already failed at their resolutions, some may have been rocking their goals, and others may still be waiting to decide what they want to do in the New Year.
No matter where you are, this list of things will assist you in making your New Year fantastic. In fact, it will help make the New Year fantastic for others around you, as well.
So, let’s get listing…
- Get Rid of the Negativity: This seems like such a simple statement, but let’s face it, negativity is all around us. Political unrest, community issues, job struggles, etc. All of these things, for the most part, are out of our control. However, what we do have control over, is how much of the negativity we let in to our lives. Be around people who speak positivity into your journey. Not “Yes Men”, but people who will encourage you to grow and challenge you to be better. Be with people who won’t bring you down with their naysaying and inability to find joy. A great way to make 2019 great, celebrate more, and don’t engage in overly pessimistic conversations. The year will be great this way.
- Be Kinder To Each Other: We need to be better at listening to people’s stories. We need to be better at practicing empathy. We need to be better at trying to understand other people. We cannot believe we are the only people going through hard times. Everyone is going through something in their life, and for many, they are losing hope in humanity. Perhaps, you could be the person who helps restore the hope that has been lost, due to your kindness and caring for who they are.
- Focus On Others: This may sound like number 2, but it isn’t. Actually, it will assist in the idea of being kinder, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be tied to it. This is a challenge in our selfie culture. We are all about what we look like, what we are eating, how our image is portrayed. We need to be more involved in the lives of other people. I don’t mean be nosey, and this is beyond just following them on the instatwitface, or social media for short. What I am saying is, sit with people around a table and care about your friend’s lives. Serve people who are different than you. Listen to personal stories, and try to view them from the lens of the person telling the story. Push your bias aside, and be present. It’s not about you, and that is hard, but focus on the other.
- Finally, Find Joy. We will face hard times this year. The Stock Market will go up and down. Jobs will be lost. Relationships will end. People will die. What if, you could still find joy in all of the struggle and pain? How? Don’t allow the pain to consume you and allow others into your journey. Friendship, community, and partnership are essential in this life. The people we do life with will either help us thrive, or cause us to die. When we let the right people into our hurt, instead of hiding our frustration and sorrow, we will find ways to release our pain in a positive way. The joy for 2019 will come when we are able to walk in harmony with each other, and know we have people we can count on. Joy is found through Jesus, but Jesus gave us companions and demonstrated friendship for a reason. We need each other, and we can experience joy together.
I truly hope this list will help you continue growing into a happy New Year. Let’s make 2019 great for each other.
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