Another year has passed and its events are placed in the history books of my life. I am fortunate to be able to report a very good year, with its fair share of change, new experiences, interesting things, wonderful people and a healthy dose of fun in there as well. When it comes to times of reflection like this, it is always the people who are most prevalent. I am very fortunate to have known many wonderful people over the years and to be connected with some great ones now.  I have learned many lessons but here are a few of the things I have learned over the past year which I wish for all of those I care about.

Nostalgic Music Month

In September of the past year, I was asked to do a project on my blog with Mike Martin to declare October Nostalgic Music Month. He had his own agenda of

reasons but of course, I agreed. Each day we each contributed some of the nostalgic music that brought us back to some place in the past.  It was fun and connected me to a lot of music in the past.  Here is the link. 

My wish for you today is that you remember the good things and let the negative fade into the background. Life is too short for spending time worrying about negative things in the past. Understand that even negative things can have an ultimately positive result. Letting something from your past affect you like it is happening right now, robs today of the potential it has. Focus on the good because it is always there.  So enjoy some music from the past, and make new memories today.

Words Have Power

I did another long-term project from November to March of the year designed to raise the level of my conscious thought by choosing one word a day and then focusing on how I could make conscious choices in my life around that word. My life changed a lot during that project, and I became a better person for it.  The link to all of those words is here.

My wish for you is that you look at your words and how they are affecting your experience in life. Each day we decide our thoughts, they lead to our emotional response, the words we speak, and the actions that we take. By changing your focus to simple words like kindness, understanding, or acceptance you can change the impact you have on the world and the impact the world has on you.  Think of that.

Try New Things

Life is a tricky experience sometimes. We work hard to put ourselves in positions where we are safe, but sometimes the routines of safe are limiting and stop you from trying new things and allowing new people into your life that can get you to expand your horizons.  This year a cool breeze blew into my life and changed it

forever. The impact of this person has been positive and fun. My perspectives have been shifted and I am grateful for that.

I wish for all of you to have a cool breeze blow into your life. Be that a new relationship, or a revitalization of one that has been in existence for 30 years. Life is a game that is better enjoyed by two people. It is ultimately more fun, and the choices we make in this realm determines our long and short-term happiness.  Remember a beginning or a new beginning is only a single choice away.  Make the one that makes you happy.

Learning is a Lifetime Activity

I try to learn something new every day that is helpful to my life. We are fortunate to live in an age where virtually all of the knowledge of the world is located at our fingertips. Anything you want to learn about you can access for free just by completing a Google search. I have learned much over the year. Nothing had more impact than reading The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle in a book club format. Asking questions, and thinking about how to take that mentality into my life. It helped me understand the conflicts between my ego, or the false self, and my true self.

I wish for all of you to expand your horizons by learning something new. No matter what your age, or current occupation. Take time to read something new, investigate a new idea and see where those new thoughts take you. Your brain can grow and develop late into your life. Use it, follow your interest and see what comes back to you.  Your life will change and move you closer to who you were born to be. Learning is a lifetime activity, use it.