It's December 27th, and I'm reflecting over my year. 2009 has been an incredible year for me. It was a record year for accomplishing goals, some of which I'll detail in my next Ramblings. 2009 has also been a year of self-discovery, of awakenings and realizations regarding myself and life in general. I took some major steps this year, some of which I wasn't sure in 2008 that I would actually take, but having done so I've been richly rewarded, not necessarily with money, but with peace of mind and contentment. I wish for you the kind of peace and contentment that I feel in my life, right now.
Being content... is not to say that I'm done :-) In my favorite book, Illusions, a passage reads, "Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't." And, I am s-o-o-o alive :-) and ready to face 2010 with unprecedented faith, appreciation, and expectation. Being content is also not to say that I've encountered no negative in my life. There has definitely been negative in my life, but I've learned to notice and acknowledge negative, deal with what I need to deal with, then move past it, just like we move past a traffic accident. But our major focus must remain on our destination, and at the end of every day, what's foremost in my mind are the positives and empowering events I've encountered, while the "other ones" fall quietly by the way side and give way to my gratitude list.
In the enlightenment category, 2009 has also been a year of forgiveness. I discovered I was holding on to negative feelings for a couple of people and situations in my life -- past and current. With the help of some excellent coaches and friends, I was able to release those feelings and free myself from that huge energy drain, because it takes a significant amount of energy to feed a negative thought process; and if you examine it, you'll find that you are constantly feeding it to keep it alive. And in THAT process, one of the most important people I ended up forgiving was ME! and that was an emotional and enlightening experience.
So as you wind down your 2009, I encourage you to think about and incorporate these important things into your life:
1. DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE! If you've made it to the end of a day, there is SOMETHING there you can be grateful for. CHOOSE to be grateful for the small things; a smile given, a near miss, each and every pain-free breathe you take, any kind word received, the car you drive, the cardboard box you don't have to live in because you have a house. If you can't think of something, write me and I'll give you some suggestions ;)
2. BECOME YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND. Be good to you! Society tries real hard to convince us that we shouldn't like or appreciate ourselves. The truth is that we MUST like, love and appreciate ourselves, or we have nothing to give to anyone else. If you do not value yourself, your intelligence, your generosity, your abilities and talents, your good nature, your warm hand or whatever it is, how can you give away something that your don't value? If you don't love yourself, how can you give love you don't have? Be good to you.
3. LET IT GO -- let go of those negative feelings you're holding onto. Forgive whoever it is for whatever it is. When you hold that grudge, you're only really hurting yourself. You are feeding those feelings with life energy you need to sustain yourself and your well-being. Let it go.
4. FORGIVE YOURSELF. Go back through your mind and look for those things that you haven't let yourself off the hook for. Go long -- some of these things you could be holding onto since childhood. Forgive yourself and give yourself permission to move on, make amends and corrections.
5. PLAN FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE. Focus pocus! Your energy flows where your focus goes. I don't know who said that first, but it is true, and it is the law of attraction. If you focus on lack, you will have more lack. If you focus o turmoil, you will hve more turmoil. If you focus on a BRIGHT FUTURE, you will move toward a brighter future.
6. FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER! I know; this one seems egotistical, right? If you think so... refer to #2 above. I'm not saying it to be egotistical; it's the feedback I get from many people on Twitter. Positive, Upbeat, Motivational and Uplifting <-- that's me. If you need some of that? follow me. I was once dubbed "The Prince of Positive :-)" Where seldom is heard ...a discouraging word! LOL. I like it.
So that's my 2009 wrap-up. But sign up at http://ramblings.ringold.net/ for my Ramblings Gold Edition so you don't miss my annual cheery, upbeat, challenging beginning of year, Goal Setting issue.
As always, thanks for listening. BTW, you can sign up to receive these in your e-mail box using the sign up form on the right.
Take care and have an AWESOME day.
Kelvin
