A new year brings a natural time of contemplation.  As I type this on the first day of the year 2020, I am reflecting on the past rotation of the planet around the sun.  Each year seems formative when it is happening, but then they drift into the oblivion of numbers. How significant was 1993, or 1977?  For me, not much, but I am sure in their moment there were things which marked them as one of a kind and remarkable.  With that in mind, here is the marking of 2019, my thoughts on the significance of this year.

1. Friendship is important.  To have someone who you can throw your ideas at and get real feedback without the fear of judgment is vital to developing new philosophies, and taking action on dreams you want to pursue.  I appreciate those who have been there for me.  I hope the results of 2020 verify your faith.
2. Shifting the paradigm of your view of life will change everything. All possibilities exist for you, right here and right now. If the way you look at life isn’t bringing fulfillment, you can change it.
3. You are never too old to learn. Learning should be a focus no matter what age you are. There are many affordable options for learning things, from technology to personal care.  All learning helps you expand your mind and guides to a better understanding of life and the people you meet in it.
4. Agency is vital to your life.  This practice is what allows you to pause, evaluate, and act when you face a challenge. It is about being active in the face of life’s challenges, rather than passive.  It is a simple thing, but how often do you let things slide because it is more comfortable?  Control the stimuli in your life. Be selective with whom you socialize. Move your body. Be a learner always. Manage your emotions. Follow your intuition. Deliberate quickly, then act.
5. Love or fear is a choice. You decide the mood and movement of your life by the simple choice you make between these two forces in all areas of your life.
6. The subconscious mind runs most of our activities. It was initially programmed with experience and influence before the age of 10. Some things were added by experience, but for the most part, we let a 10-year-old make most of our choices.  From hat I have seen, most people never seek to improve that situation.  You can change your programming with effort and action.
7. We are all a combination of our mental attitude, heart, and soul.  These three working in concert are unbeatable.
8. Don’t ever give away your power.  Don’t give it to what others will think. Your choices at every moment are yours and yours alone. Energy is lost to fear, money, acceptance, food, security, love, affection, surity, fitness, health, entertainment, having to be right, needing to belong, show intelligence,  possessions, and responsibility.  Do what your heart tells you, keep your power.
9. Strife makes a man strong.  It would be nice if life were a tranquil winding river, but without challenges, there is no reason to change, and change leads to growth. Life will either run you over of raise you to the best version of yourself. Your position changes frequently, so don’t pat yourself on the back too much for successes. Or berate yourself too harshly for perceived failures. It will all change tomorrow.
10. We are living two existences at once. We have an inner and outer experience in life.  The inner world is ours alone, and only what we choose to share is contributed to the world. Our external things are seen by everyone and seem more significant. The inner world is the one that shows who we are.
11. Now is the time to dig deep! As we face moments where we doubt our value to others, our value to the world, and about the worth of things we create. It is vital to see the doubts that surround us and to look deep below them and find the essence of yourself. Don’t be afraid, be brave in your thoughts and actions.  Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.
12. The villains drive the story. Much like the challenges of life push us, people who treat us poorly, hurt us and make us question our worth make us figure out what value we have.  Pain is not a good thing to feel, but it guides you toward your best self, like a jagged rock in a river. Avoid that, and you navigate well.  Don’t hate the stones, learn their lessons.  The villains have to live their lives as themselves. What could be worse than that?
13. Not only is every thought tied automatically to an emotion. The relationship is reciprocal, with every emotion being related to an automatic mental reaction.  If you don’t question why you feel what you do, or think what you do, growth is ambiguous and probably non-existent.
14. No matter what excuses your mind is giving you, there is no better time to start than right now. Today.  Start, try, begin your adventure, and see where it goes.  It will go somewhere, and that experience will bring growth.
15.  “We must not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we began and to know the place for the first time.” – C.S. Eliot   What are you going to explore this year?  Where will you go, you have never gone? What will you do you have never done? Who will enter your life? Who will leave it?  All of this will be in the adventure of your new year. We seek so much and never realize it is inside us all along.  But that is the lesson of life. Keep learning.
16. Habits are formed through a combination of knowledge, skill, and desire. To eliminate a “bad” habit takes an exploration of these three factors.  Building a new “good” practice starts with knowledge.  Change is an upward process.
17. Dependent people need others to get what they want. Independent people can get what they want through their efforts. Interdependent people combine their efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success.  What type of person are you? What type of person am I?
18. By working on becoming the best version of ourselves, we can influence conditions.  Choosing our response to circumstances, we can powerfully affect what happens.  You can decide how you treat certain situations, and that choice can affect how the rest of the world reacts.
19. Be responsible for your actions or inactions, rather than blaming others or circumstances. Look to accept your responsibility for where you are in life. Your situation is a direct reflection of your choices. Period. You can always take action to change things.  We can be more resourceful, diligent, creative, cooperative, proactive, and action-oriented in our focus.

Bonus thought of the year- Principles Apply to Everyone, whether they are aware of them or not.  Principles always have natural consequences attached to them.  Correct principles don’t change; they are profound fundamental truths, timeless truths, running actively through the fabric of life. They are more significant than people and circumstances.  They don’t change only our understanding of them does.

So these are the significant thoughts coloring 2019 for me. I wish you all a prosperous, productive, and joyful 2020.  Understand the wheel of life is always turning, and we are here to learn the lessons.  Make it a year you will always remember.