A New Year and A New You
A makeover is something that everyone should try, now and then. I don’t mean getting a new suit or buying a new brand of make-up. Those are fantastic too, however, there are changes that we can make, on the inside and around us, that can also constitute as a makeover. A new positive attitude is always in season, and it is a makeover that everyone can appreciate. So, this year, why don’t you try some of the following:
- Be Thankful — Being thankful is not just for Thanksgiving Day. You’re alive to see another
day; you can walk and move around. Even if it’s slowly or stiffly, you are still here to do it. There are people who can’t say that. Whenever you feel “Woe is me,” know that you are not alone and that there are people all over the world who are going through the same things you are, but they are doing it with a smile. Let those people be your guide and your model and be grateful that you have another day to get your life together, another chance to find that career, and another moment to make yourself happy. - Appreciate Your Support System — Tell those people who care about YOU that you care about THEM. This is your Support System. Thank them. Tell them that you love them. Give them a hug. Give them a pat on the back or a secret handshake. Whatever it is you do that lets someone know that you appreciate them, for not only what they do, but who they are will make their day just a little brighter. This will ensure you that you know who is close to you. Most people only have a few friends, so when you look around and you see your people still standing there, they need to know that you appreciate that they are still there.
Be Generous With the Compliments — Hand out those compliments. Giving compliments makes others smile. It makes others happy. It lets them know that whatever they were doing or tried to do, did indeed work. We like to call these “warm fuzzies.” When you make someone smile without the expectation of a compliment in return, it lets them know that the statement is genuine. If you can’t give a compliment properly, then don’t say anything. Why make someone’s day bad just because you aren’t happy?- See the Good in Everyone — Try to see the good in everyone as well as every situation. Staying positive is crucial to not falling into depression. People are depressed because they allow themselves to give into the negative thoughts that surround their everyday lives. By looking on the bright side and finding the good in every situation, you are blanketing yourself into a protective layer of positivity. Get to know more about a person or a situation before you make snap judgments about their life. They are on their own journey and you don’t know what led them to the moment they are at right now. So use a little compassion.
- Be All That You Can Be — Not to steal from the Army, but be that person you always wanted to be. I was told a long time ago that your life is like a piece of paper. Everything that happens, everyone that you meet, and everything that you do leaves a mark. You need to decide what type of mark you plan on leaving on the lives of those around you. Do you want to be a positive mark or a negative one? These are the kinds of things that we need to keep in the back of our minds when dealing with people every day. While at work, you have the ability to affect the day of a lot of people. You don’t have a choice in affecting their day, but you do have a choice in how you are affecting their day.
- Stay Away From Negative Energy — In the above item, we talked about not making any
negative marks on the pages of others. This one deals with negative marks made on your page. Do not allow yourself to be blindsided or swayed from your course by negative influences. If someone is giving you advice, listen, but then, decide what you want to do with that information. Not all advice is good advice and some advice does not come from a positive place. If you have a goal for yourself, then, do what it takes to reach it. You can at least say you were brave enough to act on your dreams. Negativity is usually a product of fear and has no place in the new positive you! - Introduce Yourself To One New Person — Here in Texas, saying hello to someone is not an odd occurrence. If you’re breathing, you’re greeting someone. However, introducing yourself to someone new is a whole different story. Introducing yourself means that you are
making yourself, your time, and your advice available to someone else. That is what networking is. It is the ability to walk up to someone, give them your name and let them know that you’re available. If you introduce yourself to one new person a month, by the end of this year, you will have widened your social network by 12 people.
The New Year is fraught with new chances, changes, and challenges. A lot can happen over the course of 12 months, but in that time, you can make yourself exactly who you want to be. It is up to you and we wish you the best of luck! Δ