"A Renewed Purpose"

The beginning of a new year is often reserved for a time of great reflection, renewed hope and a revitalized sense of direction. It's not uncommon to look ahead to the upcoming year with optimism as we all begin to draft our goals for the new year. 2017 provided some of us with great victories and also some crushing defeats. The most important thing of all is, we're still standing. As I look back over my previous year, I found growth in many areas of my life which I can be proud of. I also found areas that I'd like to improve as well. If we choose to view life through the lens of gratitude, many of us can find things we did that we could be proud of. It doesn't matter how seemingly small or insignificant it was. Don't let anyone coerce you into believing that small changes are not valuable. With all that is going on in the world around us, it is easy to lose sight of the strides that were made in our lives. Celebrate the successes. Celebrate any step taken forward. Look toward 2018 with great expectation because it can certainly become whatever you chose it to become.

"Purpose Driven 2018"

There is nothing quite like knowing where you are going. Thanks to GPS enabled phones, people have a greater sense a direction when it comes to getting around unfamiliar areas. My mother, God rest her soul, always had trouble with technology. I still laugh when I think about how many times I had to teach her how to use her iPhone, so she could get the places she needed to go. Just like we use GPS technology to get to our physical destinations, our lives need direction too. Discovering our purpose is what gives life meaning. Knowing where you are going is one of the most important things you could map out. A lot of people fail their new year resolutions because they create goals with no clearly defined purpose. A life with no purpose is literally like a ship in open water without a sail. This is why I encourage everyone to create a vision board because once you know where you are headed, goal creation is more effective. 

"Goals, Goals and more Goals"

Goals are always the hot topics when the new year arrives. Everyone is talking about resolutions. The most popular goal is the goal of losing weight. We all want to be healthy, after all, health is wealth. "I'm going to lose 30 pounds this year!", many will say. There is nothing wrong with these kinds of resolutions or goals at all. It is, in fact, a wonderful. Even though fitness goals are the bunt of many jokes because it is one of the goals that is often abandoned shortly after the new year begins. The problem is never the goal, it's the method used to achieve the goals. Have you ever wondered why the gym is crowded in January and by March its back to normal? It's because most people set goals at the Macro level. What that means is, they formulate an overarching goal but fail to map out the day to day processes that help you achieve the goal. These day to day processes are called micro-processes. Things like eating right, committing to going to the gym 3-5 times a week could be some of the micro-processes that lead to the macro goal of losing weight. We can apply these principles to every goal we set in our lives. 

"The Take Away"

2017 is now officially a closed chapter in the story of our lives. Maybe some things didn't go as well as you hoped. The wonderful thing about life is the gift of new beginnings. 2018 could be the year everything goes right. Remember discovering or revitalizing your purpose leads to a life of absolute fulfillment. At the end of the day, that's what we all are looking for. Knowing where you are going and defining the way you get there is an amazing way of starting the year off with a bang. May we all get the things we desire this year. Let's celebrate our new beginning with loved ones with a renewed sense of purpose. This is a new chapter in life. Here's to a wonderful new year of health, happiness and the manifestation of our deepest dreams.