The Power of a Theme
Tips for the Season

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Eight Ways to Make a Great 2008

1. Pay attention. Don't let life leave you behind, and don't leave life behind, either. Wake yourself up to what's going on and consciously take it all in. As a child you learned to stop, look, and listen. As an adult you can still benefit from this age-old advice. When you pay better attention you have ongoing chances to savor your experiences. You'll learn more about yourself and others, and people might even find you more fun to be around.

2. Lighten up. Life is serious but you don't have to take everything so seriously. Monitor what goes on in your head and what comes out of your mouth. When conflicts or misunderstandings arise, are you more like to try and learn a lesson, or teach a lesson? Much of this depends on whether you lighten up or tighten up when circumstances get tense. Do you tend to feel stressed (or blessed) most of the time? Remember: you are no longer living in an era of time management-you are now living in an era of choice management. This means that every day you make dozens of choices that influence your future. Think ahead. Choose well

3. This year, do something you've never done before. Stretch your comfort zone, get out of your usual mode. Learn and grow instead of sticking with what you know. Very few adults put themselves in the uncomfortable position of becoming and an adult learner because they don't want to fail or go through the embarrassment of learning something unfamiliar. Well, guess what: failure is a part of the learning process. If you're not screwing up every now and then it's because you're not trying anything new. Remember, there's a difference between a groove and a rut! Press yourself, let yourself bask in the power of vulnerability. Take on a completely new endeavor and challenge yourself to prevail. It will keep you young and vital.

4. Give this year a special theme and stay focused on it throughout 2008. I can personally attest that having an annual theme shapes your attitude, perceptions, everyday patterns, and decisions. It adds meaning to your life by giving you a special lens through which you filter all of your experiences. Each year unwinds in its own unique way and brings surprising results. After twelve years of this practice I am still blown away by how it changes my perspective!

5. Give up making an ambitious litany of New Year's resolutions that will end in failure and frustration. Extreme personal makeovers don't work. Instead, choose one single area of self-improvement and give yourself 365 days to work on it. Commit to the plan and work on your one new behavior every day throughout the year. Naturally, for the first three months you probably won't do so well, but here's the really good news: when you give yourself 365 days of focusing on a specific behavior, for once, time will be on your side.

6. Accept that we are imperfect creatures living and working in an imperfect world. Things will go wrong. Traffic will jam, food will spill, computers will screw up, milk will spoil, and people will disappoint you. Hey, you know the drill-why expect things to be perfect when deep down, you know better? Instead, expect the hitch, glitch, or stitch, and smile when things go south instead of getting snarky. See? You were right after all! Take a moment to feel grateful that bad things don't happen every single moment of every single day and focus on what's right in your life.

7. On a small piece of paper, list the five things that are most important to you and carry this list in your wallet. When you're tempted to get cranky (long lines, clotted traffic, technology glitches, slow or surly service) pull out your card and read your life's "high five." This is the shortest stress management seminar you can inflict upon yourself and it will give you instant perspective. If you don't want to make your own, contact me for a free gratitude card by sending a SASE to: Gratitude, PO Box 956, East Lansing, MI 48826.

8. Adopt the practice of doing one good deed a day. Once you get hooked, you might find yourself doing even more-go ahead, knock yourself out! This is a heartwarming practice I began several years ago and the benefits are endless. The point? It takes very little to make others feel good about themselves. When you perform a good deed, others feel good, and so do you. It's the perfect way to "pay it forward" and help create a better world, one person at a time.