2017 was amazing, my relationship with my wife grew immeasurably, the communication (in Spanish) is amazing. The business has more than doubled in size and I’m looking to employ another person….and yes I do realise it isn’t 2017 yet.
As I sit here in my little apartment in Spain with a candle flickering by the window I can’t help but think back to this past year and look forward to 2017.
The week between Christmas and New Year is a funny week, a week of transition between events in preparation for a new year.
I wonder how many Moleskine daily planners are being bought this week!! I was guilty last year, as I thought this will go great on my desk only to forget about it and wish it was a plain page moleskine when I did stumble across it again. ????????
But as I look back on a year that has included lots of travel, graduation from Bethel in California????????, my wedding in Mexico ????????????, another wedding celebration in England????????, moving to Spain????????, getting an apartment, starting a business and trying to learn the language.. Well it’s definitely been a full year!
How can I, how can we take this thing called life to the next level in 2017?
3 keys to thriving in 2017 ????
1- Stay in the moment.
So many rabbit trails from ‘stay in the moment’ but what I mean is – don’t get distracted. It’s easy as leaders, visionaries, creatives, humans to overthink. Has someone ever done something and in under 5 seconds you have created a scenario for the next 70 years with all the variables? Haha… Just me then ????????
Stay in the moment
We live in a world where every second our attention is fought for. A dream, idea, wish, desire, want, impulse, good, bad, fun, hard etc.
Stay in the moment with life. It is so easy to get caught up in what’s next our minds can be filled and we miss the beauty of now. Let 2017 be a year where your heads lifted up taking in all that is around you, the smells, the scenery and the people.
Distractions can be great opportunities, but you and I both know what it looks like to be in the moment – let’s not kid ourselves. You are far more capable and creative than you give yourself credit for.
2017 is a year of soaking up the moments.
2 – It doesn’t have to be perfect! Just start..
In a world of beautifully made youtube videos, websites and instagrams that show fitness people who were GIGANTIC, UNHEALTHY ???????? and now LEAN, RIPPED and VEGAN POWERED ???????? with their fitness plans and ebooks and ALL of that. It can be rather demotivating to start something.
We put ourselves in the “hmm it’s too much effort and work and money and design and ……” so then we find someone else doing it but more bootstrapped and budget and think, if that was me I would do this and that, I don’t like that pfft, I would do this and then that and get these people….
But then we don’t act on it and we satisfy the inner dreamer with just the idea and the buzz rush of thinking up an idea.
COME ON – Am I seriously alone in this?
Just start. I beg you! Express yourself – Please! I had this website domain for over a year and a half before I actually made it ‘officially’ live. I wanted it to be perfect, perfect portfolio etc. The problem is it never will be, there are always things I want to change and that’s fine – I cannot tell you the peace that comes from actually getting the dream out from your BODY and LIVE for the world to see. Yeah it’s vulnerable. (“Meh his design looks basic” “His portfolio is weak” “DOES HE EVEN DESIGN”).
You want to go places? – Just start.
3 – Think Good Thoughts
No, nothing weird and psychic.
You see, it isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.
So you got knocked down in 2016, ok more than once. What are going to do? More importantly who are you going to be? Most importantly what are you going to think?
There is always more, you are not alone, get up try again, you are growing, you are stronger than you think you are.
Your thoughts create the playing field for your life. Picture what you want to remember about your year.
For me, intimacy with God, my wife and to expand business. They are my priorities. Anything that comes in and takes my attention I have to assess in the moment if it’s worth me giving my time.
My time is valuable and I can only give it a certain amount of times per day.
The person you want to become, the goals you want to achieve, you can!
Have patience,
Have faith,
Have grace for yourself if the resolution fails.
and say – “Even better things are coming my way in 2017!”
Remember – Hope is an inside job.
#howgoodcanitget