Happy New Year! It’s 2018 and you know what that means. New Year = New You, right?
Resolutions, goals, memberships, meal plans, and more plans! We hear and make all kinds of
professional and personal commitments, all in the name of living a better life in the exciting new
year of countless opportunities.
Why do we get so excited and gain renewed hope for a new calendar year? Perhaps the routine
dropping of a ball or turning of a digit represents hardships overcome, previous goals crushed, an
age we feared faced or future dreams ready for birth. The truth is…it has been all of the above at
some point in our lives for each of us. The sound of an opportunity to “start again” and wipe the
slate clean, even if it’s not the complete reality, creates such a belief and renewed desire to give
our absolute best to whatever we set out to accomplish. Now that we have a reset clock to run
on! The old stopwatch’s time is up! So, what do we do differently with this fresh start? How do
we stay on track? How exactly do we turn the endless opportunities this new digit brings into an
even better sequel to last year’s results?
The answer lies inside each of us. And as much as its’ base is the same, it’s also different for
each of us. The solution to not only making but keeping our new resolutions is (drumroll please)
our “WHY”. That’s right, why do I want this? Why do I work hard? Why is this important to
me? Why does this matter most to me? Usually the What & Who easily follow once we identify
our individual, unique, purpose-filled, precious “WHY”. Sometimes your “WHY” can make you
cry. Sometimes laugh and sometimes it may even change. But it’s yours…yours to create, yours
to understand and yours to go for. It’s your dream, it’s what drives you, it’s your gut feeling and
it can be short term, long term or for a lifetime. You decide.
To achieve a “greater later” and completely own this new year, we must resolve to stay
determined, focused, consistent and mainly to be our best self no matter the obstacles, odds or
just everyday occurrences that life will always bring us. We also must allow room for not only
mistakes but for miracles! What does that even mean? Sometimes we can become so
discouraged by mistakes or setbacks that we easily abandon our new plan and charge it to “next
year’s” dream. But let’s remember that it’s the obstacles that allow us to grow, to be better and
claim the title as overcomers and achievers. We may not like them, but we need them. So, if you
must fail along the way, fail forward and expect to grow! On the other hand, sometimes we can
become so rigid in our planning that we completely miss the miracles. The chance opportunities
created by our own diligence. Continue to plan & dream but also stop to smell the roses, enjoy
the sunshine, and celebrate life along the way. There are no small wins. Just wins.
In 2018, commit to continue improving. Remain patient & focused; steady & strong. Enjoy the
process and Go Be Great!
-Summer Lattimore
Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash