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How do you start your day?

The actions you take when you first get up in the morning set the tone for the rest of your day.
Do you check Facebook or emails while you’re still in bed?
Do you savor your first cup of coffee or drink it hurriedly over office briefs?
Do you speak kindly to your family or grudgingly rush out the door?
Do you allow five minutes to meditate or begin reviewing your to-do list?
Do you wake up thirty minutes early and stretch or do you race to your first meeting?
Use your morning to intentionally create thoughtful habits. Mindful routines and rituals build foundations for success, and advance preparation can help banish the worry and anxiety that stem from haste.
Have a great morning and watch your afternoon unfold with peace and calm.

Choose your new year

Of course resolutions don’t need to happen only once a year, but the turn of a new year provides prime opportunity for reflection. Are you where you want to be? Are you who you want to be?
Do you want to become more generous? Click here for a 52-week challenge.
Do you want to become more thoughtful? Click here for a step-by-step guide to meditation.
Do you want to become more informed? Sign up for an online course.
Do you want to become more creative? Find a copy of The Artist’s Way in your local bookstore.
Do you want to become more adventurous? Click here to get out of your daily rut.
Do you want to become more kind? Click here to find volunteer opportunities near you.
Do you want to write a novel? Click here to get started.
Do you want to get healthy? Tackle daily challenges.
Do you want to be a better cook? Consider a meal plan to get started.
Do you want to meet someone new? Attend a dinner (or host one of your own).
Do you want more variety in life? Try these 30 challenges.
How lucky we are to be able to reassess, recreate, and redefine our goals! How lucky we are to have the choice to change! Here’s to a fantastic 2017. Tell me what you choose.

The two most important words you can say today

Praise good work, hard work, reliable work, consistency and creativity — all of the things you’d like to see more of.

Compliment someone’s effort and acknowledge how they are making the world a better place.

Thank a friend, a colleague, a partner, a parent for the contributions they make.

And don’t hesitate to ask for the praise you need, either.

Dr. Laura Trice recommends you say these words more often: thank you.

Alone: fuel for you

A client asked me for my top recommendation for those feeling lost and seeking direction. My answer is simple: be alone. Being alone is one of the best steps you can take to improve yourself, your relationships, even your business. Making time to be by yourself can give you new energy to bring to your work and your loved ones, and the revelations that come in quiet moments often have huge implications. Space alone can be the fuel you need to tackle projects with zest and be the best partner you can be.
But it can be tricky to carve out time for yourself, especially with family and work obligations. Be gentle and honest when you ask for this space. You don’t need to go into details with your boss; a simple “I need to take tomorrow morning for myself” is fine.
Please don’t confuse “loneliness” with “time alone.” Moments by yourself on a walk, in the car, at the library can bring to you answers to questions you might not find when surrounded by others. Some people crave alone time more than others and enjoy independence; others need less of it. Remove judgement and revel in the time you’ve carved out for yourself, and if you can, take away any expectations for what the time should bring. Often, answers come when you least expect it.

Why we must never give up hope

There is always someone to fight for.

There is always a reason to move forward.

There is always a voice that needs to be heard.

There is always a cause that demands attention.

There is always work to be done.

Give someone who needs it extra support today: a hug, a hello, a coffee, a flower, a smile, a listening ear, a word of encouragement, a kind hand. We are all neighbors in this life. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”

Choose love even when you think you can’t afford to, when you can’t see light, when you feel the shadows have won. For that’s when you must fight. Fight to love. Fight to hope.

The danger of waiting for miracles

What if the miracle never happens?

What if while you’re waiting, something better comes along but you miss it because you’re too focused on waiting for the first miracle to happen?

What if instead of waiting for the miracle, you took concrete steps towards making a dream come true?

What if the miracle isn’t what you need in the first place?

If you are counting on a miracle for your plan to work, chances are you should focus your energy elsewhere.