I’ve never been an advocate for New Year’s resolutions. I find the trendy notion of a “New Year, New Me” merely a gimmick and quite frankly, a gourmet dish nourishing the procrastination of beneficial behavioral modifications until the subscription and membership induced tradition deems it the ‘right time’ for such changes. The intention behind the actions agrees with me however, as I resonate deeply with purposeful improvement. It’s the imposed start and stop timeline that is something I hope most do not fully adhere to but rather see the crucial nature of reflection during all moments of our lives.

Appeared cynicism aside, I have always been in an eternal state of speculation; avidly analyzing the details of events or actions while determining what has worked well and/or not so well in order to propel a more substantial outcome for similar circumstances in the future. I drink the self help cool-aid, find myself indubitably drawn to understanding habit formation/cessation and often dive into the pools of recorded social experiments that evaluate human behavior to better enhance ones capabilities in various facets of life. Searching for reasoning amidst murky water brings me great joy and I find comfort turning attention to the Universal stars to uncover teachings that require sifting through. With that said, I have compiled a few monumental learning’s and realizations that have come to my attention from a multitude of experiences and through a plethora of sources. What I have accumulated below has been pulled from my head, my heart and read from scribbled on napkins I have hoarded over the length of 2018. I feel these reminders to be worthy of staying in my own pockets for the months to come and I hope they provoke a little something for you as well. Although I strive to remain aware of these aha moments during a continuous thread of time, I do understand how satisfyingly organized gathering bits of wisdom in list formation feels, so, here’s to paying homage to the past with a respectful solute to yet another fresh start. What I have learned this year is detailed but not limited to the following (in no particular order of importance, I might add.)

Get in the car and go. (Unless it’s the Winter … then warm it up first & then go.)

You must be in love with the work.

The truth is never the wrong move.

Answer the phone. That’s right, Millennial’s. I said it.

Be mindful of energy expenditure; use it well, use it wisely, preserve it when necessary & form habits that increase it.

Running will only make the problem bigger, as will ignoring it.