Today, Christians throughout the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and His promise of everlasting life for those who choose to follow His word. Too often we get caught up in the busyness of the holiday season and miss its true meaning. Each of us is fortunate to live in this great country where we experience so much freedom and opportunity.
Regardless of your faith, use today as an excuse to take a moment and focus on all the great things about your life…your friends, your family, all the people that love you and that you love. I firmly believe that our attitude and our outlook on life are major determinants of our future results. I believe that God created the universe and everything in it…so everything and everyone is connected. All of the answers to all of your questions are there for the taking if you simply know where to look or whom to ask. In my mind, the perfect attitude is one of both gratitude and striving.
- Gratitude. Be grateful for all of the blessings in your life; knowing that even with adversity some of your most important life lessons are learned. One tip is to start a list in your iPhone and add to it throughout the year. Refer to it whenever you have one of those ‘woe is me’ moments.
- Striving. Strive to become the very best person you can be. God gave each of us certain talents and it’s our life’s quest to discover what those talents are and to develop them to our greatest ability. This is what gives life purpose.
So let’s take a moment to acknowledge all of our blessings; celebrate our successes of this past year and focus on how we can use our talents to create even greater results in the year ahead.
Certainly each of us has the ability to make this world a better place. What are two or three things that you would enjoy doing that would improve your community, family, friendships, work place, or our environment? There are so many ways to help. One couple friend of mine will spend part of today working in a community kitchen serving meals to the homeless. They do this several times each month throughout the year. Others are business titans, whose talent is making money, creating jobs and then using a portion of their profits to financially support charities. The possibilities seem endless so find something that appeals to you and get involved. It has been my experience that helping others is a ‘circle’…where you’ll receive back more than you gave.
We all want success but let’s remember, success, in itself, is not your ultimate goal. It’s to use your success to impact others and the world around you in a positive way. Your success and your impact will be determined by the decisions you make and actions you take. Next week, I’ll outline the 5 things you must do to achieve your 2012 goals.
I wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Blessed New Year!