5 Steps to Making 2016 Your Best Year Ever

Now that we are knee-deep into 2016 and people are falling off of the New Year’s resolution bandwagons at about the same pace they hopped on back on January first. As I pointed out the other day, I alway like when a month starts on a Monday like February did this year, because it almost feel like a whole brand new start. Let’s just collectively agree that January was a trail month and move forward. There is still plenty of time to make 2016 the best year yet, and here are 5 things you can do to make that happen.

Focus on Balance

No matter what it is in life that you are juggling, putting an emphasis on balance is a key to success no matter what you are doing. If you are juggling 5 balls with your left hand and 2 with your right, you’re going to juggle all 7 better with both hands. It is one thing to understand that certain aspects of your life need to be balanced, it is quite another thing to actually focus on it. That sneaky old word, “moderation”, is going to come into play with this one a lot. Most people fail in their resolutions at the beginning of the year because they try to go from zero to sixty or vice versa, and they don’t focus on taking the required steps to balance out whatever it is in their lives they need to change to achieve their goals.
Read: 5 More Subtle Signs that You’re Extremely Emotionally Intelligent

De-Clutter

When I talk about de-cluttering your life I’m not just talking about cleaning your desk or house. Sure, that is a huge help too. As much time as I spend at my desk, eventually, it starts to look like a flea market got hit by a hurricane. I have to completely stop whatever I am doing and restore some sense of order before I can go any further with my day. Our lives can get that way too. Being involved with people that are no good for us, accumulating too much stuff, or being involved in too many activities can clutter up our lives that become exhausting and distracting. Take the time to really evaluate what is important for what it is that you want to accomplish.

Quit pointing Fingers

Personally, I am making 2016 the year of not pointing fingers. Instead of pointing fingers at everyone else in your life, wander over to your nearest mirror. THAT is who is responsible for your life and your decisions. It’s time to own up to your existence – good, bad, or otherwise. We put ourselves into the role of the victim too easily.
Read: Wired for Destruction: Negative Thoughts can Literally Destroy Your Brain

Abandon the “Easy Road”

It’s time to give up on the option of taking the easy road out. Anything worth having is worth working for. The hardest things in life are the ones worth having. It’s become an alarming trend with people to just walk away from anything that gets tough. Instead of studying for a class, you drop out. Instead of mending a relationship, you just walk away. The easy road in life won’t ever take you where you want to go. It might get you somewhere close or comparable, but it won’t be your ideal destination.

Take Possession of Your Success

Whatever it is you want to do in life, it is time to quit relying on other people to get it done. Remember, it is human nature for everyone to be out for themselves, so the second that you put your success in someone else’s hands, you are risking failure. It is one thing to ask someone for help, but do that on your own terms. Don’t let anyone else dictate what you can and can not achieve. Take it, own it, and do it.

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