Here I am ringing in the New Year with all the hope and promise of a new beginning. I can put all the ‘should haves’ and ‘could haves’ behind me with 2011 and focus on the here, now and future with unbridled energy. I’m surprised I have energy left over from 2011, but the new year brings with it a clean slate. It is a ‘do-over’ for 2012. I’m reflecting on what I need to do to make this a pivotal year. My first thought is the obvious—lose weight and improve my health in the process, but that’s superficial compared to what really matters. I start my day thinking, ‘I’ll try, ’but as the wise Yoda says, ‘Don’t try. Do.’ So, out with ‘trying,’ in with ‘doing.’
Here’s to the f-words in 2012!
FAITH: Exercise my faith to bring me comfort and to assist me with tasks I feel I cannot accomplish on my own. Feed my soul with healthy, positive thoughts and help me tap into what my soul is saying.
FAMILY: Exercise my love and appreciation for the wonderful family I have been blessed with, and they are truly a blessing, because I didn’t get to pick them. And for my husband who, I always say, was heaven sent. And for my son who inspires me to do more than I think I can. With them behind me, I am always moving forward.
FRIENDS: Exercise my friendships. Embrace and cherish the friends who have opened their hearts to me. They are my safety net and my compass. They accept me for who I am, with all my foibles. To all my friends, old and new, I will give back more than I take.
FORGIVENESS: Exercise forgiveness. Recognize that I get more in return from the act of forgiving than the party I forgive. The adage ‘Hatred does more damage to the vessel it is contained in, than to the vessel it is directed at’ rings true.
FOCUS: Exercise focus on my true purpose here on earth. Be grateful for the opportunity to impact others lives. Spread the message of hope to inspire others to overcome their physical or emotional challenges.
FUNNY BONE: Exercise humor. Make every effort to enjoy a good belly laugh daily, even at my own expense. Being fodder for a good-natured laugh is preferable to laughing at others. Laughing releases those endorphins every bit as much as that ‘runner’s high’ from physical exertion.
FORTITUDE: Exercise fortitude to overcome hardship. Don’t be a naysayer when faced with difficulties. ‘Those that say it cannot be done, should not interrupt the one doing it.’
If I follow through on these goals, I will improve my well-being in 2012 and beyond. I might even lose some weight in the process.
With Love,
Julia Fox Garrison
Labels: blessings, exercise, faith, family, friends, gratitude, humor, love, new year, positive, support