New Year, New You, 2022!

A new year means possibilities. You aren’t a carbon copy of who you were last year. You’re a better version of yourself.

Out my window, I see sparrows flying about, snow on the ground with more to fall, and icicles falling that came off of a previous 60 degrees just a few days ago. And I kid you not — a dollar bill on my porch that’s above the first floor…maybe the sparrow is a new stork dropping off goods?

While an interesting find, it’s not all that exciting. But — I know a good sign when I see one.

On earth having minted green bills provides stability and it’s nice having a ‘lil George Washington reminder on your side — which btw, I’m often reminded of his presence because his old white mansion is down the street and from where the bills came. Not all of us live that close or remember who’s on what bill and as currencies are changing, but we can all remember the famous printed words, “In God We Trust.”

Trusting for good things before they happen pays well. That’s where the real fortune is (I believe). It’s not a gamble because you have nothing to lose. I’ve seen proof time and time again (and maybe you have too).

Sometimes that takes a flip of the mind switch and not falling for the tricks of the ego. And as a daily prescription, by choosing to believe in good things you improve your health and happiness in the moment… this idea I think can help everyone in choosing.

And my belief in you and your capabilities is actually one of the greatest gifts I can give. Because I know that all of us have superpower abilities (that others don’t naturally have) and it’s our job to put on the cape (in our cape-abilities).

And if we want to, we can trust for our better year’s 365 days. I believe we can make our dreams our future and soon realities.

Call me an eternal optimist, but you and I have plenty to be jubilated about (or at least not complaining of that won’t help us).

You’ve seen examples of your own luck. Being healthy is good luck. Getting a good job or promotion. Having a family or one that has taken you in. Others to call on. If you have any luck, you are lucky.

And no piece of paper can buy that. Some of the longest-living people on the planet are the poorest (heard of Blue Zones?), even though in Western society organic foods are more expensive and we believe they’re healthier? And they generally are. The difference is the oldest Blue Zoners are the gardeners and pickers of the best nutrient-rich, naturally sourced foods that need minimal preservatives to make it to their dinner tables.

See, it’s not that tricky to see your luck when you think through what you have.

But, looking at the negative side of the coin can distract and complicate life and ideas from moving forward. So, daily flip those coins around.

Then, take old, new, and repurposed ideas and try them out to see what works in your life. You may be surprised how a year can make a difference.

Not being afraid to enter new spaces you’ve never explored is what matters in taking you to new, better places. And finding the best version of you matters most in your precious time-ticking life.

If you’re feeling stuck, pull out your journal and step on the gas pedal of your aspirations and heart’s desires. No one else has your heart so you have some ideas that are uniquely you.

Make those ideas front and center. And then go for it! If you created a product or are a writer, you probably didn’t know what would happen until you shared it to the world or got published. And if you’re looking to start something brand new, you won’t know what will happen until you shift your focus to the new ideas to give them wings. The future pages are unwritten until you write in them.

Like no time in our lifetimes have we seen a chance to use our giftings where we can create and design a completely new way to do what we do best, reaching the ends of the earth. And many ways haven’t even been uncovered, so we’re all on even footing and we can’t possibly wrap our heads around all the changes — just yet.

What matters most is for us to use our current ideas in how we think we can make the greatest impact in our world and community by showing up consistently with what we do know or think we know. And then the next step will be revealed.

That’s your mission. For whatever your supergenius power is. You probably have a few, so just pick one.

This year we have a chance to challenge ourselves. Oop, stop the scroll because I think I know what you’re thinking: I need no more challenges based on the recent challenges.

I get it. You didn’t call for less than what was. And you would’ve never chosen to make changes and sacrifices. But since it happened (yes, last year), you became better for it in many ways.

You’re best off to take that “better” and run with it!

I mean, what if… you’re the problem solver we need: the one that can devise a home composting system that an average household can afford to use (and our planet can’t afford us not to)? Or you’re one of the ones who know how or who can make safer deliveries?

Our world seems so fragile and sensitive during these world-trying times, that adding back a little competition and not dancing around topics wouldn’t hurt, as that makes us get better in our competency.

Imagine if you were the only one who did what you did? In business terms, we call that a monopoly. You remember the board game. Top hat and all, you’d naturally rest on your laurels and keep doing what you’d been doing (status quo) because after a while you’d have no reason to improve — or anyone to learn with to up your game. You’d be playing alone.

That’s not how it works best. We need some competition so we can make positive next-level breakthroughs and improvements. In competing-friendly skies space travel, the space leaders are competing to see who can go the farthest distance. And find higher places we’ve never gone before where we have no maps. And they’re clapping each other on for their efforts.

That’s also how collaboration can work in the healthy balancing act.

For each of us, this year (and this moment) we can find a new higher plane level and groove. Gains aren’t immediate or overnight, but if you start or continue, then gradually one day you can be pleasantly surprised (like the tortoise in Aesop’s Fable). Aaah… but if you just keep going.

Remember Newton’s Laws of Motion? When the 3rd law (“for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”) ball is in motion, something predictable will happen if you keep going.

It will work until it doesn’t, and then you can find a new way or ball. And others to play with.

Today, if you take a glance at your social media feeds, you won’t see how people are doing, really. A long post snippet and sound bite won’t cover all the emotions and thoughts each one has and is going through.

And people are hurting, some even more than a year ago. You witness it in behaviors that aren’t meant to be shown. But you can protect your feelings, by showing up vulnerably to selected, comfortable, and trusted people, friends, and groups, so you can heal and carry on into bigger and better things for yourself.

Believe you have something meaningful to share. Too often we sell ourselves short and are blind to our abilities. Some of us have practiced personal communication all of our lives (pre-internet), and we can be good at it because we’ve been doing it longer even if we’re out of practice. That’s a gift to show how it’s done meaningfully to younger generations like Generation Alpha who know no world pre-social media and without virtual, no calorie foods, that mind you are also taste-free. The older (or traditional) generation would say, “nevermind.”

My point is, whatever wisdom you have today, you can share and teach to an open world seeking answers, and that can help channel your moods and emotions into better beliefs and into a better life design.

Believe with your abilities that you’ll come out better, so you will.

Happy new year 2022!

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Previously Published on medium

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