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In less than two weeks Christmas will be here, which means that the new year is three weeks from commencing. And I have to admit, I'm eager to find some time to sit down and make a plan for 2014.
The gift of each new year, and subsequently each new day, is that is we are presented with an opportunity to do it better, to proceed one step closer to the goals we have set for ourselves and to improve upon what we have done the previous day. Last year I posed the question of
Why Not Stop Competing with Others?, and I've found this to be of great help as I focus on making each day more enjoyable, engaging and pleasant. Why? When we refrain from comparing our lives to others, we remove unnecessary stress and gain the energy that we would have spent on destructive behavior to focus on something of worthwhile value. The only person we should compete with on a daily basis is the person we were yesterday. So long as we improve upon who we were the day before, the year before or ten years before, we can strive forward and feel productive at the end of the day.
Earlier this week, there was one early morning I remember saying to myself, "Today is going to be a great day." There wasn't any particular reason, I just found myself in the middle of this pep talk. Afterwards, I paid it no mind and went about my day. Intriguingly enough, by the time I arrived home, I remembered that brief conversation earlier in the morning and had to smile because indeed, it had been a wonderful day.
I share this simple story as a reminder that we have control of our attitudes and behaviors throughout each day of the week, but we don't have control over others. We can't know what they are going through, but we can bring to the moment kindness, thoughtfulness and appreciation which creates greater potential for a positive response and outcome.
Perhaps you too are contemplating what your resolutions will be for 2014 or maybe your just planning the upcoming weekend. Either way, consider letting go of the constant comparisons made with others' lives and instead do your best to do better than you did yesterday. With so many small incremental efforts of positive growth, you will be astounded what you will have achieved by the end of week, let alone the end of the new year.
In this week's newsletter, I have a recipe I've been wanting to attempt and am so happy with how it turned out. Trust me your sweet tooth will be giddy that you gave it a try. Just in time for the holidays, if you love chocolate like I do and are looking for something warm to enjoy on these cold winter nights, I have a chocolat chaud recipe that is simple and delicious. And speaking of the holiday season, if you're hunting for that perfect holiday playlist, I've pulled together my favorite 16 songs - a mix of classic and contemporary jingles that are sure to keep your soiree festive and your drive to your holiday destination upbeat and warm.
With the weekend's arrival, I hope you have a wonderful few days to indulge in some festive holiday fun. I'll be hunting for my Christmas tree this weekend, so be sure to follow on Instagram to see how it goes. Until next week, I'll see you on the blog!
