A decade ago, it was the year 2000. Do you remember where you were then and what you were doing? Please take a moment and think. Can you boast that you spent the past ten years being the best of you or are there things you would have done differently if you could go back? What major advancements or drawbacks happened within the period?

Well, the past decade is gone. This is 2010.  It is an opportunity to live life and make the choices and decisions that would make you have the least regrets come another decade.

I personally do not believe that you can only make resolutions or plans on New Year’s day. A line from a popular song goes, “today is the first day of the rest of my life.” It does not matter what day in the year you pick up this article and read or which day you start working out your plans. The most important thing is to seize the day (whichever one you choose) and decide to be the best of you.

I would like to share a very helpful practice called journaling. Many people find it stressful but it is an excellent habit once mastered. And I am not talking about doing a ‘girl’s secret diary’!. How about having a book in which you write your Quarterly and monthly goals and your plans for each day? It can be any kind of tasteful and durable book that you can afford. You can include your budget, income and expenditure as well as your meetings, calls and appointments in it. You could also keep a gratitude column where you write the things that you are grateful for each day. Since it is your book, you can record your thoughts or whatever personal things you wish. When you reflect afterward, you would be able to quantify your progress or otherwise. It would help reveal the things you need to work on like money and time management. Noticing trends would help you address recurrent issues and when you do well, you would be able to reward yourself appropriately. Remember that accounting for each day accounts for the whole year.

You may divide your goals into ramifications like health, religious, personal, family, career etc. Please note that the goals would have to be specific enough to you...for instance, “I will jog 30 minutes every morning before I go to work” or “I will not miss any church/jumat service this year without a serious excuse”.

Whatever way you choose to plan your year, remember to do what you are comfortable with, set daring though realistic goals with feasible action plans and be sure to appraise and review from time to time. Do not allow it become burdensome but let it help you organize better and please be truthful and fair to yourself. You do owe it to yourself and this generation of ours to express the you that you’re made out to be!

O. O