“Your success and happiness lies in you.  Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” – Helen Keller

I don’t know about the rest of you but I don’t know if it is because I am getting older or just busier, but this year reminded me of Secretariat coming down the home stretch at Belmont in 1973.  I didn’t get accomplished what  I wanted to.  That tells me I need to improve my planning for 2018.

To me it is a little ironic that the end of the year and the celebration of the birth of Christ both happen in the month of December.  The Beginning and the End so to speak.  With the celebration of Christmas comes bouts of depression for some.  It is a tough time for those who have lost loved ones, especially those who are celebrating Christmas for the first time after their loved one has passed.  Unfortunately it is the time of year when companies trim their work force getting ready for the year to come, adding stress to the lives of those that lost their jobs.

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is the time of year one needs to go to their safe place and reflect on the year and evaluate what happened in 2017.  Are you disappointed?  Happy?  Ecstatic?  Was last year a good year but if not, what can you do to make 2018 better?  Now the operative word here is “you”, I didn’t say “we”.  What’s that?  You are married.  Congratulations!  Sorry the operative is still “you”.  When you get “you” worked out, then you can sit down with the spouse and finish your planning.

I am going to go out on a limb here and I am going to bet that one of the things you need to change going in to 2018 is (drum roll please) spend more quality time with family.  I went into a restaurant a couple of weeks ago and there were what appeared to be 4 members of a family.  My guess was father, mother, daughter and son.  Youngest (son) was probably 15.  Every one of them were doing something with their phone and maybe, just maybe said 15 words.  Do yourself a favor and make 2018, the year of the Family.

This is going to probably put some of your undies in a wad.  I am sorry but it needs to be said.  If you are one of the many complaining about the current political climate and you DID NOT exercise your explicit right to vote, then shut up!  I don’t care if you don’t agree with me or even if I am not politically correct, you don’t have the right to complain, in my opinion anyway.  Yes it is my opinion and isn’t supported by any law, local, state or federal.  Sad thing though is that these people are the ones that complain the most. (Note:  This pertains only to the U.S. because I do realize exercising that right in some countries could get one killed.)

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.  We can help write that story by setting goals.” – Melody Beattie

The new year can bring us new challenges so in that chapter of life we will be writing about things that we have never experienced before.  Make sure your book of life is an autobiography.  Do your own writing and decision making.  It doesn’t hurt to seek advice but for life decisions, you make them.  After all you are the one that is going to have to live with that decision.

Work on knowing all your neighbors.  Learn their names and even talk to them.  I know that is asking a lot for some, but think about it.  Spread the love.  I don’t care what your passion is share that love with everyone around you.  Respect those around you.  When other people talk, shut up and listen.  Respect their opinion whether you agree with or not.  I myself have said more than once, “We are just going to have to agree to disagree.”  Learn to walk away when a discussion goes south.  Treat people the way you want to be treated.  Keep your life free of negativity.   Last but not least, love yourself.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Spread the love!  NOTE:  I do not have a degree in psychology and am not a psychologist.  Just an old geezer that has watched and learned as I traveled down the freeway of life.