Happy New Year!
Well it happened. Whether you were ready or not, 2014 showed up. All that unfinished business you didn’t take care of in 2013, will just have to remain unfinished business. Unless…
Another year is here, and for all of us, another year to make positive changes in our lives. Even if you’re not into New Year’s resolutions, I’m willing to bet you still think about things you’d like to change/improve/take on/let go of in your life.
I’m sure it doesn’t come as a surprise to know that I was always one to literally write down my resolutions (and still did last year). I didn’t just do this because of my OCD tendencies, but because I firmly had the intention of sticking to my resolutions and seeing them through until completion. It didn’t matter if my resolutions were of the self-improvement kind or of achieving an objective, I would jot them down on a piece of paper so that I could refer to them every so often. Not because I forgot them, but because I believe that when you write something down and refer to it often, you are more likely to allow it to take hold and find yourself more apt to work towards your goal.
That being said, I have written below 2 key takeaways from a TED talk by Jane McGonigal during which she spoke about dying and post-traumatic growth. She defined post-traumatic growth as a dramatic event that can be used as a springboard to unleash an individual’s best qualities and allow them to lead a happier life. I wrote these down not just for all of you, but for myself as well.
Top five regrets of the dying:
1. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
2. I wish I’d stayed in touch with my friends.
3. I wish I’d had let myself be happier.
4. I wish I’d had the courage to express my true self.
5. I wish I lived a life through my dreams, instead of what others expected me to.
Top five things people with post-traumatic growth say:
1. My priorities have changed. I’m not afraid to do what makes me happy.
2. I feel closer to my friends and family
3. I understand myself better. I know who I really am now.
4. I have a new sense of meaning and purpose in my life.
5. I’m better able to focus on my goals and dreams.
The two lists are almost direct inverses of each other. Hopefully you won’t need the traumatic experience to realize some of these. And I certainly hope you are able to die without regret.
So whether you believe in resolutions or not, perhaps you might keep the above in mind and work towards not having any regrets on your deathbed. Figuring out how to achieve them is up to you.
Of course, we can all expect to fail at times. I know I fell short in achieving many of my resolutions, but in most cases I ended up improving my situation in some way. Even failure can sometimes provide a positive residual effect. (In full disclosure, I had 2 resolutions for 2013. I achieved one of them.)
I wish us all a very healthy, happy and productive new year!
Stand Strong!
Scott
A happy and healthy New Year to you my dear friend. Continue on the path you have taken. God bless and keep you.
Cherry
hi scott, great words there. i here many people say (myself to) i have been praying about it and waiting for God to do His thing and they end up repeating same things over and over. what ive learned is praying, waiting and Listening are needed for sure but procrastinating or being idle is not what God wants. sometimes i have found myself waiting and ended up being idle for way to long and causing frustration and depression amongst other stuff. theres a fine line when we must take action and trust God is with us on a decision to procede, of course with prayer (showing Him we have faith and trust Him). this more than often is very difficult for me/us to do. if our decision is good well thought out and prayed about we sometimes can procede in faith trusting are HEART is in the right place. i have to get busy this year moving forward. Praying for us a wonderfull new experience this 2014.. God Bless you Scott with your family and friends.
Happy Y2K14, Scott!
I am going to print out those lists above and post them above my computer at work. It made tears come to my eyes when I read them just now.
I’m sure they had that same effect on everyone that read them.
My other “lists” above my computer are Al-Anon’s “Just for Today”
The Prayer of Saint Francis
and just randomly “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by William Butler Yeats.
Thank you for all the inspiration and know you are loved, admired and appreciated.
S.
Bet I can guess which resolution it was!
Scott, Happy New Year. I’m going to take those lists and try to incorporate them into my retirement in 2014. Thanks for your help.
Thank you Scott for a year of blogs that have helped me put things into perspective. May 2014 bring peace to all.
Awesome post… Happy New Year! Thanks for always giving me ideas to act upon…Much appreciated! Stay warm…come visit Florida sometime! pat
Happy New Year! I love new years – they always bring such hope.
Congratulations on achieving one of your resolutions for 2013!!!
Have a Happy, Holy, Healthy New Year!
God Bless You – Mary