Reflecting on 2012

Of course, what else would you expect at this time of year – we reflect on the past year and look expectantly to 2013! 

For me 2012 was inspirational, frustrating, uplifting and depressing – not all in one day, but, over the course of the year I have experienced the highs and lows!  I have lost good friends and relatives who passed away this year and had to deal with a difficult neighbour while trying to remain positive.  It may come as no surprise, I lost from time to time! 

I could have lived on a more even keel if, during, down periods I would remember how fleeting they really are in the grand scheme of things.  But, as usual, I would fret and despair over things that had gotten out of my control.  Will I do that in the year to come?  I would hope not, but, if the best predictor of what you will do is what you have already done in a similar circumstance, I probably will again.  My hope is that those periods will become less and less.

 How about you?  Have you a habit that is eating away at you?  You know what I mean – that thing that you would wish you wouldn’t do, but, do anyway.  It may be a reaction to a circumstance or it may be initiated by you, but, whatever it is, you can change it, over time.  The problem we all have is the quick fix just doesn’t work.  Every habit that took you years to become engrained in your psyche, will also take you time to remove.  And, you just can’t remove a bad habit; you have to replace it with something else. 

So, 2013, I’m looking forward to you.  I know what I don’t want to do and I’m going to be more calculating about replacing the negative with positive.   And, although I had hoped this could have been completely done in 2012, I’m not going to be defeated!  No!  I’m going to keep trying.  You may knock me off balance from time to time, but, my plan is to have less of those days during 2013 than in 2012. 

So, don’t despair everyone, if your plan did not work out to your liking, just keep getting up and moving forward.  If you look back at all, let it be to remember the positive times, the successes and the proactive steps you started to establish.  Don’t let the negative define you.  And, in December 2013, when we’re once again reflecting, we’ll be able to say we have moved forward, we are more positive, nurturing, creative and dynamic than before.  I know you will be – Happy New Year!