Happy New Year?
We want to celebrate a New Year and I’ve done that 60+ times but this year might not feel so new, at least at the beginning.
We don’t have control of a lot of stuff in our lives. That’s really not any different from past years. We think we have control, we think we can make a difference but the reality is we don’t.
Most of the time we are in charge, not in control.
So what can we control?
Our attitude – our ability to use our reason to choose how we categorize, respond, and reorient ourselves to external events. The keyword is ‘choose’.
When we get up – alarm clocks can help but I’ve found I need a certain amount of sleep and most nights I get it. Currently, I’m not out most mornings so I have the gift of solitude on the porch as I have my 1st cup of coffee. My “introvert” self loves it.
When we go to bed – This has more to do with when you get up than most things will. Turn off the TV, read a book, meditate on your day and maybe write something in your journal. If you don’t journal and want to start, it’s pretty easy. Write down what you did, what you thought, and how you felt. It will grow from there. I’d also recommend writing, not typing. There is something about the connection between your brain and your hand that is not easily reproduced any other way.
What we read, listen to, and watch – Are you watching the news? It doesn’t matter which flavor either. Spin is spin, right or left, pretty soon you don’t know what to believe. It is not their job to inform anymore. It’s their job to sell ad space and you are the product. One of my favorite quotes this year came from Andy Andrews (this is a link to a video where he explains this). He said, “You can’t always believe everything you think.”
What we say Yes to – Saying Yes to something would lead me to believe it has value. Yes to playing with my granddaughter, yes to time with my wife, yes to spending time in prayer. I’m coming to the place where I think the most valuable ‘yes’ is spending time building relationships.
What we say No to – Opportunity cost is a real thing. It measures the time you spend on something and how that prevents you from spending time on other things. In my business, I decided to spend time cold calling was too high in opportunity cost because it took me away from building relationships. Hang around long enough and you’ll learn more about that from my writing and podcasts. I plan to say ‘yes’ to doing more of that this new year.
“The time we spend worrying is actually time we’re spending trying to control something that is out of our control.” Seth Godin – The Practice
As the new year starts tomorrow, keep that in mind. Worry is wasted time. Take care of yourself, do something every day that improves your attitude. Write down 3 things you’re grateful for. This too shall pass.
Reach out to me if I can help. In business or beyond, how can I help you? Let me know.
Oh, and Happy New Year!!
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson