Staying-Positive

Whether I’m coaching CEOs, mangers or executives, there are always goals to achieve. One core element that is absolutely critical to any success in achieving goals is commitment. And that’s in fact what a resolution is…a commitment. A few weeks into the year, I decided to reflect on my New Year’s resolution as a reminder to myself that I want to stay on track. I made only one resolution this year: to stay on my journey to wholeness. The thing is, wholeness embodies a world of many possibilities. It means to me, on a personal level, continued introspection, growth and acceptance. And, it also has a realistic approach to daily life component such as continuing to build my business, engage in charitable work and maintain my wonderful friendships. So, broken down into smaller “bites” here are 20 things I want to remember to keep myself on the path to personal fulfillment, satisfaction and balance this year.

“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” – Mahatma Ghandi

My steps to being true to myself, happy and fulfilled this year.

1. I will dwell on the positive even when something blocks or frustrates me. I will look at each situation and see what positive lesson I can take away from it.
2. If someone is not making me feel uplifted or good about myself, I will consider whether I can change the conversation and interaction into a positive one.
3. I will open my eyes, take the time to smell the roses, see the sky, feel the earth, and ground myself in the reality of the world around me.
4. I will be conscious of my spiritual self, find time for relaxation, meditation, contemplation and let my spirituality provide guidance to me and calm me every day.
5. I will let my unconscious thoughts surface. When I have a revelation, write it down and memorialize it so that I can remember and incorporate it into my life.
6. I will solve problems when I discover them
7. I will do things that are good for me and that I want to do
8. I will accept people as they are and help each person bring out their personal best.
9. I am going to ground myself in the present. Things that happened, are over. I will look forward.
10. I will define myself by my kindness and goodness, not by my successes.
11. I will try my best and I will be satisfied with myself as long as I know that I have tried my best even when I fail.
12. When I drive, I am going to be more relaxed, not let other drivers bother me or take me out of my calm state of mind. I know that I will get where I am going whether or not I make the next green light.
13. I will maintain my values. I have a very strong moral compass and will rely on it to keep me growing and satisfied.
14. I will trust my instincts.
15. I will give myself some down time. I am going to manage my own schedule and not make too many demands on my time.
16. I am going to be realistic about what I can accomplish. If I give more than I promise, that’s great.
17. I will recognize others. There are many wonderful people in my life and I want to remember that and acknowledge my friends and family.
18. I am going to be a proactive decision maker. When I have the self-assurance to know that my decision or way of doing things is the best course of action, I am going to take the initiative.
19. I am going to say “yes” when I can and say “no” when necessary because something is against my better judgment.
20. I am going to be satisfied with myself as long as I make a real effort to keep these resolutions. If I stay positive, then I have stayed on my road to personal growth and wholeness.

Remember, whatever resolutions you made, even if you have lapsed, it’s not too late to start again. Just try. And be satisfied and happy: the most important resolution of them all.

“People tend to be generous when sharing their nonsense, fear, and ignorance. And while they seem quite eager to feed you their negativity, please remember that sometimes the diet we need to be on is a spiritual and emotional one. Be cautious with what you feed your mind and soul. Fuel yourself with positivity and let that fuel propel you into positive action.” – Steve Maraboli from Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience