Welcoming the New Year

Welcoming the New Year

Introduction: The cycle goes on! An old year comes to an end and the new approaches. Very soon the world will step out into the New Year, waving a good-bye to 2010. How can one welcome the New Year and make the most of it? This article will help you to celebrate the New Year in a true sense of the term, ‘New’.

Look back with gratitude: The primary thing we got to do to welcome the New Year is not to forget the blessings that the past year has bestowed on us. Look back and think how God or Providence has brought you through the past year. Recount your good times and bad times and be grateful for them. Yes, you read it right! Be grateful even for your bad times for if you have the right attitude, you will know that even what was unpleasant had a purpose in your life. It was probably a lesson to teach you valuable things. So enter the New Year with a heart of gratitude towards God, people, the Universe and everything.

Set Goals: Well I don’t need to say this. Do I? We all do set goals at the start of the New Year. But don’t set vague goals. Divide your life in different stages like Professional, Family, Social, and Health etc. Set yearly goals for all these areas. For example, your professional goal could be to be promoted to the next level, for that you may need the step to go to the Management class you’ve been procrastinating. You may want to spend some days of the year exclusively for your family members; you got to do some saving, planning and set aside time for your dear ones and their needs. Your social goal may be to contribute to some charity or your church, decide the amount or value you want to contribute this year. Your goal for your health may be to get slimmer and cut on the red meat or go for a jog. Then just start doing it. Remember, if you don’t plan your year, someone or something else will plan it for you and you will run for things that you won’t be pleased doing and reaching.

Give joy: One worthwhile goal to make your life fruitful in this New Year would be to decide to give joy to others. Make it a point that the persons you encounter in the New Year would leave your presence feeling brighter, happier and encouraged. Smile and people will smile back to you. Love and you will receive love. Give and you will be given. To give joy it is primary that you yourself remain happy and joyful. You cannot give what you don’t possess. So be filled with joy and laughter. The Universe gives back what you send to it. Remember this principle, if you have this goal of giving joy, you will end up in the New Year getting joy in abundance.

Be Proactive: Proactiveness is aptly described in the quote, “If your ship doesn’t come to the shore, swim out to meet it.” It means taking appropriate action beforehand to manipulate the outcome of your desire. Before I see the consequences that would be unpleasant, I take action and control the outcome. Before the doctor shows me a red signal for my health condition, I start jogging. Before the semester marks show poor performance, I start studying daily. Before my customers look for the second option, I make them feel at home in my organization. Before the emergency sets in, I save enough money in my saving account. Proactiveness will give me a sense of control over events in the New Year. At the end, I would look back and say, ‘I came, I saw and I conquered.’ Have a blessed year! (Sohan)