The beginning of a new year is always exciting. Many people bring in a new year with festive celebrations. Other people bring in the New Year meditating on what they want to accomplish with the fresh 365 days. Now that the celebrating and meditating is over, how will you use 2014?
A new year is like a fresh start. The calendar changes and it is an excellent opportunity for change in oneself. To fully embrace the opportunity a new year brings people make resolutions. In most cases the resolutions are small, relatively minor changes. One popular resolution is those who suffer from obesity will decide to start working out to lose weight. Outside of the gyms being packed for the first three weeks of January, this usually accomplishes nothing.
What if you took the change of the year and used it to change yourself totally? What if the change of the year meant the opportunity to change everything you can control about yourself? 2014 can be a turning point mentally similar to the way an extreme makeover can be physically. You just have to ask yourself what it is you want to accomplish or do.
If one wants to be wealthy then one needs to have a look at their talents and position today. This realistic look isn’t to depress but to give you a solid foundation on where you are. To analyze oneself without rose-colored glasses is an easy, yet hard task to do. Sometimes a true self-analysis will take away the lies our ego has told ourselves. The stripping away of personal lies is one of the most freeing acts a person can do to pursue their true goals. A new year is a chance to do this.
Another thing people claim to want is happiness. Happiness is something that can’t be bought and no one can give it to you. A true look in the mirror of the mind can help a person realize why they aren’t happy at this time. In 2014 a person can find the reason or thoughts that make them unhappy and change them. It may be November before the happiness kicks in but at least you will be prepared for 2015.
Harmony is something people want but they don’t know it exists. To be in any situation where confusion reigns in your environment and head is insanity. Many people believe that confusion is normal and to not have confusion which equates to problems is abnormal. Ask yourself: Are you more engaged in a conversation if it is about someone else’s problems? If the answer is yes, then you enjoy confusion. Just maybe the lack of harmony exists in you because confusion is your drug of choice. In 2014 you can kick the confusion habit.
Many of us are judge, jury and executioner when it comes to others. When we see something in others we don’t like, it could be facets of ourselves being reflected back at us. If you look at other people as a learning experience one can learn a lot about oneself. Before you look at someone and begin to text a friend about how the person looks or acts, look at you. Is that person’s behavior something you live with? It’s 2014, people; let’s be honest with ourselves.
How you choose to use the fresh slate of days 2014 gives you is a personal decision. No one can tell you whether your decision is right or wrong because it’s just that, yours. It’s 2014; what are you going to do with the time?
Frank James IV © 2014
beingfrankwithfrank@gmail.com
The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the writer and not of the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper or NCON Communication, its staff or management. Being Frank is a bi-weekly column exclusive to the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper.
