Happy New Year

Greetings folks and Happy New Year! I’m back from my holiday vacation and I’ve kind of, sort of missed you. Yes, you too. I hope everyone has been resting or partying to their heart’s content and is ready to get down to the business that 2013 has for us. Last year was a rough year for me and talking to friends, readers and complete strangers, I’ve learned that I wasn’t the only one. There were ups and downs, mountains and valleys, laughter and tears and roadside ditches. Yet through it all we made it and we’re much better off for it.

I can honestly say that I’m a better man because of the trials and tribulations of 2012 and if I had an opportunity I wouldn’t change a thing. Adversity builds character and conflict gives us the opportunity to be great. I’ve never been one for ordinary so if it takes me getting knocked down, to get back up and step into greatness then so be it. I welcome the challenge.

Through my reading, I’ve found that many people either love or loathe New Year’s resolutions and that there aren’t many people who sit in between. There’s the faction who believe they don’t need the passage of time to resolve to do a new thing and I tip my hat to them. Then there are those who, were it not for every January, probably wouldn’t resolve to do much. I don’t wait until January 1^st to declare my goals or intentions for the upcoming year because mine are always evolving. However, I do take advantage of the yearly tradition to see where I’ve been and where I’m going. Regardless of what camp you lie in when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, I think it’s important that we set goals for ourselves and that once we set them we Think them, Believe them and Do them. Resolutions are just empty promises if we don’t think they’re plausible, believe we can accomplish them and then actually follow through.

As I’ve done every year since starting this blog, I’ll share some of my resolutions with you. Again, this isn’t my complete list as some of them are rather personal and I’d much rather keep those between me and God. Without further ado here are my 2013 Resolutions.

1. Grow

Anything that isn’t continually growing is dying and I’m not ready to die yet. Despite my accomplishments, I’m not nearly satisfied and I’m eager to see what happens next. I’m not always the easiest person in the world to deal with and my family and friends can attest to that. I know that the man I am today isn’t the man for the job tomorrow, but that the man of tomorrow isn’t that far away from me. Accordingly, I plan to read more, write more, learn more, and share more in hopes of being a better me.  

     2.  Get Published

I enjoy writing and have since I was a little kid. Part of the impetus for this blog was to get my thoughts out and get back to writing. I did a lot of writing in law school but not the fun and enjoyable kind I did prior to law school. Writing this blog has allowed me to find my passion for it again and my desire to share my thoughts with the world. So, I’m working on a manuscript for a romance novel meets crime drama meets whatever the genre Steven King writes. I’m kidding, but there is a manuscript in the works and I’ll be taking pre-orders tomorrow at your local corner store.

3.   Community Outreach

The Bible says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” I consider myself to be blessed and highly favored and God reminds me of it every day. However, living the life that I live and working the hours that I work often leaves little time to help others. What is life about if we aren’t helping others? Yes, I love a fine timepiece as much as the next man (maybe a little more) and I prefer 12 year old Scotch to liquor that comes in plastic bottles. However, I know that I can’t take any of that with me when I’m gone. My legacy, my impact, my gift to the world will be in what I leave behind. So, for every dollar that I make, every hour that I spend at work and every gift that I buy for me, I’ll take a fraction and give back. I think it’s important to give both time and money because neither alone is enough to help solve the world’s problems so I’m pledging to give both.

These are just a few of the goals I’ve set for myself for 2013. I hope that they inspire you to set your own and hold yourself accountable as I’ve done here, so publicly with mine. My hope for all my readers in 2013 is that you’re blessed beyond measure, that this is your best year yet and that you don’t sell yourself short. THINK you can, BELIEVE you can, and then DO it! Until next time, Stay Up and Be Blessed!