What do you really wish for this year? I’ve had an opportunity to meet a lot of folks along the way and we’ve had many conversations. After establishing a certain amount of trust we’ve shared several heartfelt thoughts. These exchanges consist of topics like family, friends, politics, faith, community, children, and so much more. We’ve shared laughter, heartache, music, sports, and definitely the food too…. there’s always the food. The end of each year brings on reflection. What did I do well? What could I do better? What do I really hope and pray for this coming year?
I love this phrase I stole from a friend. When asked what he thought about pessimism, he said, “I’m just not for it, I can’t see a future in it” After the initial laughter I couldn’t agree more. There’s a verse in the Bible that says, “So a man thinks he is”. Or, put another way, by one of my coaches, “if you expect to lose, chances are, you will succeed”. It’s not easy either….being positive. It’s quite the task. It’s so easy to be negative, apathetic, and casually sarcastic at best. We’re naturally good at being those things.
Being positive doesn’t mean you can’t see reality either. It means you choose to deal with reality with a certainty that no matter what happens, you will have done your best, to be your best. It means you will not waver in your foundational beliefs but treat others with respect. It means you will try to make it right when you know you have fallen short. Ask anyone you know who are in a recovery program. I would say these things apply to all of us. They will share what it means to have to remove themselves from a bad situation when all efforts of diplomacy have failed, or having to standup knowing a bridge may be burned. However, the truth is, it was probably burning long before you had to cross it to get to the other side. Yes, living with a positive attitude is tough. I mean, it can be exhausting. I personally believe being positive is just another way of saying, “I have faith”. I have faith in something bigger than me. A lot bigger than me, because I can’t be positive without it.
So, my wish, my hope, and my prayer is that we will greet this year with optimism and a strong faith. Let’s look for the good and try to do some good wherever we find ourselves. There’s a reason why we celebrate the start of a new year. There’s a reason why we say to each other, “Happy New Year”. It’s because we made it. We have the privilege, the opportunity to do it again. To do it better. To honor the memories of the ones who finished their journey and go put our faith to action.
Happy New Year everyone!
Love Big