As we usher in the new calendar year, plans are laid and goals are made. While it’s important to make SMART (significant, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals about what we want to achieve and where we want to go in the new year, we must remember and consider a number of things that are also smart, but in a different way!
We must remember that even though the calendar year changes at midnight on December 31, the first of January is really no different than any other day. Every day begins a new year. Each day is a new beginning, giving us the opportunity to adjust our plans, actions, attitudes, and ways of being.
We also must remember to include our “way of being” in our new year’s plans. Do you consider your way of being, your internal state, every day, in interactions with yourself, family, friends, colleagues, and clients? Do you work with your way of being, to observe how you are, and how you can change your internal response to external situations?
There’s a story of a wise old woman who sits in the town square, greeting all. A visitor to the town approaches her, asking “How are the people here? Are they friendly?”
The woman replies “In your town, how do you find the people?”
“Oh, they’re wonderful. I love my town; everyone is so friendly and nice, and the yards and public places are well-kept.”
The woman says “You’ll find the same thing here: Our people are kind and welcoming. Enjoy your stay!”
After some time, another visitor approaches the woman, asking “”How are the people here?”
To this new visitor, the woman again replies “In your town, how do you find the people?”
The second visitor replies “They’re awful: I can’t trust any of them. They’re all liars and theives. I’m searching for a new place to live — that’s why I came here, to see how people are here.”
The old woman replies “I’m sorry — you’ll find people to be the same here. You’d best move on!”
Too often, we neglect the inner self, our attitude, especially when we consider goals and plans for the new year. We can’t: How we are on the inside determines our response to the challenges of life. If we’re perpetually angry inside, we tend to meet challenges with anger. If we’re calm inside, we meet challenges calmly. If we’re suspicious of people, we encounter others who are suspicious of us.
We say we want peace, we talk talk about how we’re working for world peace, curbing global warming, and advancing human rights. We make effort to do what we as individuals can, even starting and contributing to nonprofits, organizations, and service-minded businesses working for the common good. But how many of us are working towards inner peace, adjusting our own inner environments, and treating all we encounter as individuals with love and compassion?
Before we can effectively change our communities and our world, we must put our attention on, and make effort to change ourselves inside. We can’t just strive to meet external goals with “other” things and people. We must change ourselves inside, cultivating peace, a calm inner environment, and compassion for all.
Rather than planning goals for changing yourself inside — goals speak of the future, and it’s important to be present, in the moment, to cultivate and change oneself — ask yourself this: What actions can I take on a daily basis to foster inner peace, a calm inner environment, and compassion? What reminders can I give myself — or ask those close to give me — to help me be present, steady in mind, and compassionate?
What do you, can you, do each day to cultivate in yourself the qualities you want to foster in the world?
Please share and comment!
The best to you and yours in each and every day!
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