It’s easy to inspire me! Mostly because I’m always open to having my socks knocked off me. Television, shows and commercials; movies with great story lines. The Internet that puts so much at my fingertips—literally.

1. people pursuing passions

I’m connected with two networks related to writing and arts. It is really inspiring to see writers pursuing their passions. I read liner notes in albums for the gems they sometimes hold about the album artist. One of my Nina Simone albums had her story in it. I was as sad to lose that as I was about some of the books I lost in the wake of post Katrina and Rita clean-up.

2. the brilliance of children

It’s not about how smart they may be. What moves me is the luminous shimmer the new people exude. It’s the glow of promise, hope for our future, and the endless possibilities of how we might get there.

3. possibility

I wonder how it is some of us never lose the inner child, or manage to find a measure of it. However it happens, I’m grateful that it’s possible.

I could almost weep for the life I might have known had I kept hold of the child in me; or found her sooner. I won’t cry though. I have more of her in me than I once thought. Instead, I take joy even at this advanced hour. After all, it really is all good— Besides, I’m not dead yet.

inspirations all around

4. dancing

When I watch people dance, it makes me happy, excited. It’s a pleasure to watch dancer’s move in ways that I could never. I would love to dance, but I haven’t the aptitude (really haven’t the aptitude), and I haven’t the body with a bad hip. I am humbled by the works that dancers do. Gregory Hines and Savion Glover can make my heart race. I never had the opportunity to see Gregory Hines dance live. And I’m sure if I had, there would have been tears. I believe that because the liturgical dancers at my church can move me that much.

5. photography

Composition can be poetic. I have lost myself in a great cloud scene or the soulful eyes of an elderly man helped to deposit his first ballot after Apartheid. A beautiful flower or a solitary bird in his solitude. Images can open my mind to more than what is before me. They are my conduits to alternate interpretations the image itself and life all around me. Being open to, and a practitioner of silliness, facilitates this laudable transcending ability.

6. music

I love to listen to great rhythms, beats that get make my heart pound, melodies that open my mind. Jazz is in my library. Some of my favorites I return to repeatedly include Lyle Mays, Fictionary; Joe Sample, Ashes to Ashes; Spyro Gyra, Love and Other Obsessions; and Hubert Laws, My Time will Come; and Ellis Marsallis, Whistle Stop are a few that keep me and serve to transport me.

7. writing

During work writing, my focus is on the message and the best way to get it across to the client’s audience. Even when I’m totally engaged, there are times errant creative ideas will come to me. If it’s timely I may even be able to spare a moment to capture an idea on paper or recorder to have it for later use.

8. poetry

It amazes me what people are able to create in poetic expression. The canvas is paper, the inks the colors of experiences, the deft poet paints the picture of what happens to, around, through him. There is room in his writing for me and my experiences and what I bring to the table. I’m inspired by the ability of a poet to tell a poignant story of a thing he knows, and how I am opened to so much more just by reading it.

9. generosity of others

There is so much I can’t do for myself sometimes. It frustrates me when self-reliance is simply not an option. I’m learning to give in to help from others. It’s humbling and empowering and amazing to be able to receive help and understand that it is not diminishing me but just a hand.

There’s something to be said for the grand gestures of kindness and humanity around the world, the ones that make the news and 60 Minutes. But the kindness of a friend to a friend is as large if it is unknown to many.

10. nature, trees

I love trees. I can’t name them I’m sorry to say, but I have a profound respect for the majesty of trees. Big and small, many or just one. I can get caught up just watching a tree, tracing the grooves and cracks with my eyes and hands; leaning against a tree, feeling it’s solidness support my back. I could go on, but you get the picture.

This list is by no means exhaustive since I spend a lot of time enjoying the little things in life. Many things inspire me. I was the child that would be caught staring out the window in school; the one who could lie on the ground for long periods of time, to watch ants go about their business. Today play is still important to me, as well as spending time with trees, even though I don’t have as much time for them. These things inspire me to do more, some days even just to continue.

What inspires you in your life? Remember that inspiration is everywhere; you can receive it from all sources, as long as you remain open to it.

I want to write through ‘10 Things…’ for a bit. It’s my journal exercise right now focused on attending to the small moments. Today I thought about 10 things I’m happy about, to express more than fleeting gratitude for successes that happen on the fly.

Sometimes life moves so fast until you can run right over the small important moments—without even drawing out all the inspiration.

impetus for 10 things i’m happy about

Lately, I’ve had a lot to do and not a lot of time. I’d tick off a task, maybe smile about it if it was new or particularly difficult, and move to the next thing—which is a good thing. But, appreciating the small accomplishments helps in two ways:

1. It reinforces you’re on the right track which can carry me forward from one project, one milestone, one task to the next
2. It requires that you slow down to reflect, and assess, and doesn’t that help with clarity—no wallowing or fixating involved

So today, I decided to reflect on things my little successes that kept me moving forward. Some were so fleeting until I almost forgot them.  Some were realizations I made.

All that to say, these are my recent 10 things I’m happy about:

1. Manually fixed my blog I broke (and fast too—sort of)
2. Prepared my CSS print file for article pages
3. Learned that my websites actually are helping me
4. Worked out best Sony Vegas settings to render clear screen capture videos
5. Deleted arcane drafts from blogs, stored them out of the way
6. Singing out loud (gotta be alone for that) can still make me feel better
7. Felt the deep sense of release that comes with hearty laughter
8. Accepted that I need more sleep (now to make it happen)
9. Trusted, in a difficult moment, that trying times are impermanent
10. Studying the construct of my faith, I find I still have it

Gratitude is the order of every day, for success or failure and what I learn from each. Think about the things you’re happy about, and slow down a moment to appreciate them. And let them propel you forward.

Up next in my ’10 things…’ mini series, “10 things i’d like to learn”

It’s amazing that it’s already here. I saw it coming, and yet when I take a closer look at the year, it flew by. There have been some really fun things and serious things that have helped the time pass for me. While the first part of the year was moderate, the second half just seemed to fly by. And, I’m grateful for all my adventures.

moving

Relocation was a big deal at the midpoint of the year. I returned to my former apartment complex, (different unit). It was a tough move, as are all moves. Still, I’m glad to be back. I miss the company of my mom. She’s glad to be back at home though. I’m grateful for the chance to move again, and for the fun of rediscovering my things that were in storage. It was even a good challenge to have to neatly store all the things I’m saving for my mom. (Although, I may not have been that positive about it, when I first stared at all the stuff.)

Yes, I claim to be working from a positive, grateful stance most days. However, I also claim my humanness, my view of things as half empty sometimes. Still, I see that gratitude makes the self-pitying time largely non-existent. Self-doubt is more a habit that I need to break, and still something that I can usually work through.

computer training

Part of what made the move hard for me was that it came near the end of my computer training. It brought on a wealth of distractions that have yet to calm down. Still, I finished the course. I made some good friends in the course and I have a good grasp of the material from the program. It was fun and I’m grateful I could complete it.

I’ve not taken the certification exam yet because of more life stuff. It doesn’t help much that I don’t much care for tests. On the other hand, the eleventh hour is often my best hour. So, I continue. I fit in the studying here and there, and resolve to take the test before the end of the year. Is this eleventh hour or what?

writing admin stuff

Job search is a full-time venture, don’t let anyone tell you different. It keeps me occupied, perfecting and re-perfecting my résumé, searching, contacting and following up on applications. That writing goes hand in hand with the writing for my website. Adding different details to my résumé has led to me adding new things to my website as well. So, I’m grateful for the things this process is inspiring for being self-employed.

website development

I’m always adding to my website development skill set. I learned to use PHP. Not a lot of PHP, mind you. But, I have command enough to separate out repetitive sections of my static website. PHP makes it easy to add pages to my site since I separated out the top and bottom navigation, as well as the sidebar section. Without going into too much detail, this coding lets me update one file and it’s automatically propagated throughout the site.

I converted my work site, The Word ’Mage, to PHP files. I wanted it done before expanding my site with a publishing section, and before other major projects I’m considering. I’m grateful that I was able to learn that quickly, as I really wanted to have this well in hand before I started to grow my website. Blog development is on the way.

gratitude: always the big deal

No matter how difficult things get at times, no matter how much I might struggle with a new concept, time, learning resources, I still find it easy to be grateful. I’m grateful for all that is behind me in accomplishments, training, and experiences. I’m grateful for all that is yet to come, getting through the known, and the excitement of the unknown. Also, I’m grateful tat I’m back on track with the November PAD Challenge.

As much as this day reminds me of gratitude, it reminds me that the year is nearly over! And that’s a great time for review and reflection. One of the best ways I have of reflecting and appreciating is to write through things. It’s a pleasure to be able to appreciate my life events. I can’t imagine how difficult life would be if I couldn’t smile during the easy and the hard parts.

I find that gratitude makes smiling effortless, don’t you?

big doings this past weekend

saturday, a wedding day

On Saturday, my cousin Kristin got married to David in a picture perfect wedding. Our family came from near and far, to attend the wedding. Her Uncle Kirk performed the wedding ceremony. Her dad gave her away. Her proud mom was there, beaming. Her big brother was one of the groom’s men, in full tuxedo regalia and tears of joy.

Kristin’s wedding party spoke warmly about the union made that day. The food and the music were great. A good time was had by all.

the family band aid

sunday, a game day

Several people were able to extend the trip so we got together at my brother’s home to watch the Saints. We were hoping for a better outcome, without a doubt. Still, we easily managed to have a great time. It was more the company than anything.

monday, a loss made easier

Warm feelings of joy over simply being able to be together, wrapped us in love, laughter, smiles, hugs, games. It buffered the blow the game dealt yesterday, and made today much easier to walk through. You see, today, October 25th, is the third anniversary of my dad’s death.

As it turns out, this weekend was a perfect way to celebrate my dad, without any formal dedication. It was a great weekend he would have been fully invested in. He loved having his family and friends around, celebrating joyful events, and he loved the New Orleans Saints.

With much gratitude, I continue. Put simply, family and friends make life easily more pleasurable in good times, and more bearable in bad times.

In the photo: Smothers, Jones, Stampley, Coyle families: just a small part of my family.

From time to time, I get overwhelmed with all that I’ve got going on. I need to have things in perspective to function at my best. Writing in my journal helps me to pull things out of my brain and place them where I can review them. It’s like pushing something very close away so that it comes into focus again. When I think about it, it reminds me of Dumbledore emptying his brain of thoughts as he searched and reviewed.

I’m grateful that I know the benefit of keeping a journal. It helps me to keep my thoughts to a quiet, manageable roar. And this helps me to move forward, even after I stall for a bit.

I’m cherishing. Writing my experiences is a review. It lets me reflect, and that often feels like a cherishing experience. Even the bad times have a measure of good that is amplified by reviewing them. I get to look at them closely and can see the positive that came out of them, although they may have made me feel like total crap at the time they occurred.

I’m fueled by seeing all the good that comes from the good things in my life. And I’m propelled forward when I see the benefit of the hard times and the mistakes I’ve made. It’s not to say I won’t make those mistakes again, but that I will make a calculated decision to try it again, likely in a different setting.

I’m appreciative of the opportunities that are present around every corner. When I take advantage of anything, I draw on my life experiences to be the best that I can at it. As can be said of us all, I am the sum total of my life experiences including the people I’ve known. The good and the not so good shape me into the person I am, and inform the choices I make. And I continue…

These are all parts of gratitude that keep me moving forward. When things are good, when things are bad, I have learned there is truth and reason in the practice of counting your blessings, naming them one by one. If you don’t know the power in it, I suggest you try it and see if it doesn’t catapult you up out of your doldrums and into powerful forward motion.

Try gratitude to shake of a tough day, and to appreciate a great one. Write about it in your journal, or blog about it and share!

I have a soft spot for technicians, probably because I want to be one. Rarely do I come across rude technicians. Today, after receiving a technician visit yesterday, my record still holds that 90% of the time my work is completed by competent and polite people.

happy circumstances

a day early

After I finished working online at a restaurant, I went home to do a few things before Sunday’s for the technician to maybe make an appearance, between 8 and 8. I was unlocking my door when my cell rang and it was the AT&T technician, a live person, calling to say he was on his way to work on my phone. Talk about fortuitous! I put my things away and before I knew it, he was at my door.

a familiar face

I always have a hesitation about people coming to my door. But, this man had a uniform, announced himself and the company before he moved to enter, and I recognized his face from helping me some years prior. So, I was okay with letting him in.

great tech service is a wonderful thing

He was nice, efficient, thorough. He fixed the break in the equipment outside and came back in to check the phone jacks before he left. He even checked and told me that my modem is still good for the internet (coming soon). In spite of all my frustration in getting help, this man made up for it and he didn’t even know it. His only effort toward this was doing his job well.

I’m pleased to say that my face-to-face experience was as good as I expected it would be. We chatted for a bit and he was on his way. And my phone works!

resigned to automated mediocrity

While the run-around on the telephone is always an unpleasant experience, I think it may be a symptom of the way the world will be for a while to come. When you say someone will call you back, and set a recorded message to play thinking that’s appropriate, I know there’s no way this company’s going to change soon.

My blogs are my friends because they give me a forum to write about things that are important or insignificant. They present me with space to write about topics I consider worthy. Whether I’m imparting ideas based on where I’ve been or those spawned by where I’m heading, the choice is mine alone.

That’s powerful and frightening too. There’s no one to keep me out of trouble, or to blame when things go seriously awry. In part because of these things, I blog very happily. It’s fulfilling and helpful to me to have a record of ideas when they happen. It’s a great reference tool. There’s another reason, too…

Ultimately, I do it because I’m grateful. Gratitude is my overarching motivation for much of what I do. It permeates my efforts here.

…for writing in my life

I started this blog to share my insights and adventures in writing, editing and living in a creative and grateful manner. Gratitude informs every aspect of my life and is my main motivation for sharing. Instead of keeping it to myself, I want to let it out and hope that others catch the feeling.

It’s a joy to share the things that inspire and motivate me, like the practices I’ve developed and collected, which help me.

…for people who share with me

Another reason for continuing this project is that I’m hoping to grow it into a community when time permits. Along the way, it’s interesting to hear from people with interesting and thought-provoking ideas. Hopefully, together we’ll do some growing as we share.

…for the chance to make a difference

When I write a post, I’m hoping that others might benefit from what I have experienced. Hitting the publishing button is a pleasure when I have worked up a post that meets the expectations I have. Before it’s out for people to read, I have said yes, this may help somebody. It’s a good feeling. Whether it sparks an idea or a answers a question, if it falls on the plus side, then I’ve done a good thing.

…for the chance to have some fun

Writing is great for many reasons including discovery. In writing this blog and others, I am ever on a journey inward through myself in life. It can be daunting and fun too. But overall, to write about things that move me is a way of cherishing, which brings me full circle to the beginning where I started all this, at being grateful.

Does blogging make you happy? If it doesn’t make you happy, why do you blog? Even if it’s for money, it’s a good idea blog about something meaningful if you have a choice. Try it out, and tell me what you think.

As technology advances, information and people can reach us wherever we are if we let it. Most cell phones let you receive text messages. Some phones let you read your email while you await your flight. I surf the web on my iPhone and it blows me away. That’s a lot of connectivity. And it’s a great help in professional writing.

After the research is done, though, some time should be spent in thought. It’s necessary to be clear in your personal thoughts to get your best writing. Disconnecting is a way to do that.

Disconnect to Reconnect

Disconnecting is a tough choice these days what with all the ways and people that you need to be in touch with. From time to time you have to relax your collection of data and communication with others, so that you can hear yourself.

Barbara Brown Taylor wrote a remarkable book a few years back, When God is Silent. Her’s is a brief discourse on the reason we sometimes think we can’t hear God. She contends, fairly, that it’s because we’re making too much noise with our own insights, plans and choices.

That’s a really cheesy nutshell review of a splendid book. The point is I think it’s true, that we make so much mental noise and are bombarded with so much data until we can hardly understand how we interpret it all. Disconnecting gives us space to think things through.

Personal Journals

Disconnecting will afford you time to find where you stand. Keeping a personal journal can actually help you with this so that you can reconnect to your most authentic self. It’s this best version of yourself that you want to bring to the work at hand. Here are some things you can get out of keeping a personal journal.

1. Relieve stress

When you make time to keep a personal journal, you are making time for yourself. That’s one of the reasons journaling is often overlooked—how often is it that the last person on your agenda is you? How often are you left off the list completely? Journaling doesn’t take a long time, or it can. But the time it takes is well worth it. After my journal times, I find myself refreshed and more peaceful. Calmness and openness that I gain make me more amenable to what the day will bring.

2. Achieve greater clarity

Writing out the thoughts in your head, means you get to focus just on them—without receiving new input from the news, friends, the internet. Just you and your thoughts. You can write them down and make connections and separations that are overlooked in the usual fast pace that you may be keeping. After reviewing ideas and thoughts more closely, you may even change your stance on a matter or two.

You can step outside yourself. Playing a role other than your usual position, can be a way of walking in someone else’s shoes. This can be a very powerful aid when you have the need to really express empathy. You may come to empathy where you had no hint of it before, if you write your way through.

3. Express creative ideas

When you write for you, it’s like pulling your thoughts out and making something concrete of them. The very action of writing in a personal journal can be quite freeing. And, with the benefit of relieving stress, comes the freedom to express yourself creatively. If you’re moved to draw, or list or diagram or stick in a photograph, by all means do it. You may want to write a poem or short story, this is your space to be all that you are.

4. It can be an invaluable record of events in your life

Where was your head at a particular time in your life. It’s really an interesting to get a mental snapshot of who you are and look back at it down the line. You can track your life changes and growth as a person by writing a personal journal, and looking back from time to time. Tracking may be too formal. You can get an idea of your present and future self, by having a clearer understanding of your past self.

And if you never look back through your old journals, (I once read about a lady who would periodically burn her old journals in a magnificent bonfire), just keeping them, creates something intangible inside. Often in ways that I can’t define, writing in my journal can inform me about who I am and have me grounded in my life. And when I look back at them, I have found myself laughing out loud sometimes at just where my head was.

5. Journaling is a form of cherishing

In my life, gratitude is very important. I have countless things and people to be grateful for and I never want to overlook that. Writing in your journal, reviewing your life sometimes moment by moment or in much larger chunks, lets you hold it more closely, more deliberately. It can be a joyous and amazing experience.

I wrote through my maternal grandmother’s illness. There were times when I would be writing and I would find myself crying, so accurate were the words I’d written. And I was fine with that. In fact I was grateful. In my notebook I created an accurate picture of what I was going through and that meant everything to me. Because, the last days that she and I shared were priceless.

Without reading those entries, I can call up the memories that we made in that time and smile or be moved to tears of joy, of appreciation, of gratitude. You can have these memories without keeping a journal. But I think writing them can do something empowering for you, as it does for me. Gratitude is one of the most powerful things that you can do for yourself. I have no idea how it works only proof in my life experiences that it does work.

How to Keep a Personal Journal

There are a number of ways that you can keep a personal journal. What I’m presenting here, is the frame for journaling sessions that have worked for me.

• Prepare to write:

One variation on this practice is to use meditation. I find that many times my thoughts will run together, crawling over each other the get to the page. When I have the patience and discipline, it seems to help to quiet my thoughts, reducing or removing any sense of frenzied hurry to write.

• What to write:

Explore your thoughts freely and fully, writing what comes to you. Switch your perspective and position on a topic, and write quickly. Write what comes seemingly from your hands and not your head. Try to write quickly for five minutes to ten minutes.

After the initial quick writing, take your time and go wherever your thoughts take you.

• When to write:

Books say to write daily. Many people who keep journals don’t write in them daily. I fall into the latter, though I try to write daily. More important, I think, than writing daily is to date each entry.

I try to write first thing in the morning, before new information enters, before my inner critic wakes. And if there’s anything pressing me, I will write in the evening as well.

• Where to write:

Some people are now keeping online journals. I’ve tried this and it worked for a while. However, my favorite process is to keep my thoughts in a composition notebook. My assessment is that I’m better connected when I write longhand.

As you get into the habit of keeping a personal journal, you will find that some things done differently will work better for you. Do what works, and keep writing.

If you don’t keep a personal journal already, I hope I’ve managed to get you thinking about it at least. Let me know what you think. If you do keep a personal journal, I’d love to hear how it benefits you.

A good resource:
Inspiration For You to Keep a Personal Journal

Related entries:

what’s allowed to feed the writing fire
at least take notes
creativity tapped out? i think not

I want to share with you the story of how I re-learned what’s allowed to feed the writing fires. It may be something you’ve experienced, and will inspire you to find out or rediscover what can feed your writing fires.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. – Albert Schweitzer

The Whole World is Mine to Draw From

You ever wonder how writers come up with ideas for their material? I wondered that too. Part of my quandary has to do with the label of writer and all the dread that title brings with it. It’s something I’ve turned over in my head from time to time, and a lot lately. In fact, on my last trip to my hometown I gave it a lot of attention and came up with an answer.

The Memory that Brought the Answer

I have a good friend who is a minister. One day, several years ago, he told me God loves you, to which I replied, Yes, I know. That’s what you’re supposed to say if you believe that, right? I think there must’ve been hesitation in my voice.

- Do you really know that?

- Yes…I guess.

- You don’t know that. But you can. What would you do if you really, really knew that God loves you?

For a moment I thought about it, the largeness of that truth. I responded.

- Pass out on the floor.

In our conversations there was always a lot of food for thought, fodder for the musing days. It was this memory that came to me on my vacation, while I was considering how I filter what informs my writing.

Extrapolating from the Memory

I thought for a moment about what informs my writing and then left it because it was time to go out. What I did carry with me was the idea to collect threads from the fabric of times spent hanging with my friends. After all, everything that comes to mind is fodder.

Wait! What?! Everything?

Going with that, in that moment, my plan was to catch everything I could remember or note.

Daydreaming, brainstorming, organizing, researching, editing are all part of the process, sure. But before that, comes the sparks of experiences that need to be fueled by imagination.

Some Things Happened on My Last Vacation

I felt a lot of conscious appreciation and cherishing this trip, of every little thing with my family and friends; more immediately than usual. I felt a lot of gratitude in the moments, as opposed to waiting until I got back to Houston to reflect on my time at home, in New Orleans. Gratitude plays a powerful part in good things that happen in life. I believe this for everyone, I know it for me.

Another thing that happen during this trip was that my nasty little inner critic’s hand was revealed, and his spell was broken.  I saw that he would discount many ideas as just not right before they had the chance to catch on. Many ideas didn’t make it to my notes.

I always understood intellectually that everything was fodder. But my sneaky inner critic lulled me and lead me away from that truth. Now, everything was coming awake in me and it was exhilarating. I want to say I grokked the truth of it.

Everything was talking to me; all my synapses were firing. I had to be open to going out and doing things (setting aside my couch potato habits) so I just let down my guard. It had the unexpected result of opening me up to other possibilities.

So, the question is What do I do if I really, really, know that everything I experience is mine to use?

My answer is Keep all I can catch. Whatever comes to mind, it’s okay in fact necessary to hear it, even the outlandish.

What’s Come of All This?

It was akin to a rebirth of my creativity. And it was greatly needed. Being truly open to everything was like being fully immersed in emotive sensory awareness. It felt safe and bounteous, if a little daunting. And it immediately fruitful.

Several poems came from the experience, and many new ideas to pursue.

I have a renewed vigor regarding everything I write. What was ash and smoke has been stoked to smoldering embers… pretty soon, I will be on fire again! Yes, I am smiling at this.

Everything is possibly material for a post, poem or other project. That holds true for all of us. Do you know this to be true for you? Do you water sparks before they catch?

New Orleans fireworks on the Mississippi River, 2009

It’s the first of the year, and a good day to begin things anew. Blogging is at the top of my list, along with some other things I’ve been considering. I’ve been exploding with ideas over the last few months. It seemed fitting to start now to put them in place.

It’s time to be about the business of doing what is important to me. And beginning this month, I will be investing more time in salvaging my blogs and making changes to my website.

Do Something

In my habit of gratitude for all that I have and all that I’m capable of doing, I always am returned to the words, do something. So in taking that to heart, my personal theme to push me through my lazy times is Do Something! We’ll see how far this takes me into 2009. Truthfully, I expect it will take me to 2010 and beyond!

It may seem like a nondescript resolution to plan to do something. But consider all that can fall under something. With the things listed, I would like to have 10 completed and continued by the end of the year. But rather than stating what I’m going to do, I’ve decided to do them and add them to the list as I go along. My reasoning is simple: I’m not trying to put any undue pressure on myself, only to guide myself.

Trying Trumps Failing Every Time

You see, I know from past experience that sometimes things happen to push my plans out of the way, off the table or postponed beyond my target date. So, I’ve come up with this process to carry me through the year:

1. Select a goal
2. Plot the course to reach the goal
3. Set a target date
4. Track my progress and tweak where needed
5. Determine the success or failure at the end assess the flaws
6. Add it to the appropriate list
7. Replace it with a new goal

This is my way of getting around the tradition of failing at New Year’s resolutions: I treat the failures as learning events. And I try not to beat myself up too badly over any of it—I said I try.

How do you work yourself into keeping your resolutions?