2012 is here, are you?

It is a new year, my friends, and I'm sure that with all of the new years resolutions we have made or have thought about making or have contemplated and then decided to not risk failing and so have not made that we can agree that with every new years mark we are hopeful for a better year in the future. But along with that hope and excitement we all have some decisions to make. First of all, and I'm sure many of you have heard a version of this before, but the only way to see  change happen in our world is to start by changing ourselves. A little less global version of that idea reminds us that it is the crazy person who would repeat the same action and hope for a different result. I would like to think that I'm not crazy but I have to ask myself....how many times, seasons, periods of my life have I been miserable or discontent with my situation but have allowed myself to keep wallowing in the vacillation of depression and blame? More simply put, why have I allowed myself to ever blame other people for my current state of affairs? If when I look at my life I don't like what I see I really have no right to accuse other people for putting me there. I am so blessed at this point in my life and am truly able to say that I am in a state of abundance but you know what?, I don't know how long this season will last. It may last a year, ten years, ten days, ten more minutes, but I had better be ready for the winds to change (because they will) and I had better be ready to approach life,myself, and others with the same gratitude and compassion and energy that comes so easily today. Because in a new year we start out with high hopes. But those high hopes are only valuable if they are accompanied with a high output of directed energy and passion as well. Don't just hope for change. That's what victims do. Make the changes in your life, however small or big, that you know are necessary for you to experience the changes and growth that you are desperate and eager for. Take the time. Look within. Then look around. And take a chance. Risk big. We are never promised more than today. So give this day everything within you. And don't hold back from seizing opportunities, challenging yourself, putting yourself in awkward situations that demand that you expand and redefine the lines that confine you. Life is short and we all will come to our own finish line. When you look back, its not about how long it took you get there but its how you ran the race that will bring you peace or discontent. And here's the thing, we get a new chance ever 24 hours, every 7 days, every month, every year, even every minute and second to make another decision about how we will approach our lives. Passion. Love. Compassion. Grace. Kindness. Patience. Diligence. Vision. Lets open our eyes to the areas in our lives in which we desire change and growth and lets attack 2012 with action and passion together. Happy New Year, everyone. Lets do this.