This is the New Year. Time for introspection.

What does that mean? It is looking back through your life to determine what areas need improvement. Just look at your accomplishments during 2007. What did you want to do, but didn’t manage to do? Do you still feel the need to do it this year?

At the beginning of each year, people have the habit of making New Year’s resolutions. It has become a tradition. This is great! However, this usually doesn’t work out as planned.

By the end of January, maybe even earlier, most people have given up on their resolutions. By the end of the second month, they may not even remember what their resolution was.

What is the point of making resolutions if you are going to break them so quickly? Striving to improve your life is essential, but you need commitment. Yes, you need real commitment and willpower to carry out your resolutions. And of course, you need to make realistic resolutions. Avoid making unrealistic resolutions which can generate more stress and create feelings of failure.

This site insists on creating the lifestyle of your dreams. It is meant for people like you who aim at getting in better shape, physically, financially, spiritually and emotionally. Spending more quality time with family, relaxing more, exercising more, saving more money, paying off debts, eating less, improving our health, controlling weight, stop smoking or finding a new job, setting up new income streams, building or strengthening relationships, starting or boosting a home-based business, … all these are wonderful ways of creating a more fulfilling life.

They might well be among your New Year’s resolutions. But remember. You must distinguish between resolutions and wishes. Wishes are just wishes. They don’t have the commitment ingredient to succeed. Go beyond the wish tradition and start by making a plan. Determine beforehand when and how you want the resolution to happen. Use the well-known techniques to set your goals.

For that purpose, I would strongly recommend to attend in February or March, a free but very powerful seminar: Breakthrough To Success of Christopher Howard. I have attended many seminars of Christopher Howard and I can assure you that one of the best gifts you can offer to yourself and/or to your friend is to spend a week end with this electrifying, internationally acclaimed speaker and coach.

More on goals setting techniques and on Christopher Howard later. For now, I take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year!

Simeon

Sadly, it is a period where some people think more about themselves and immediate families and forget that, somewhere around them, there are people who are suffering and who, due to various reasons, can not enjoy this Christmas – New Year time. There are people who are sick, people who are dying in hospitals, people who are homeless, people who are poor, people who are in war-stricken countries… All those people would like to have their share of peace, relaxation and enjoyment. But circumstances make it difficult for them to celebrate. For them, no Christmas bonanza, no turkey, no wine, no dinner in chic restaurants, perhaps no entertainment… Even no smile on their faces.

Some might think that they can do nothing to bring smile and hope to such brothers and sisters. Some may even think that they have no responsibility in what is happening around them. They act and think selfish, without realising it!

Anyway, I take this opportunity to think about the meaning of all this. If we have to enjoy a wonderful lifestyle, we need to share our joy with other humans around us. Creating wealth is one noble objective. But sharing the benefits of a wealthy lifestyle is important as well.

We are now at the end of year 2007. Next week, we are starting a new year. For many people, it will be time to make new year resolutions. For some, the new goals will be ambitious. For others, they will be survival goals. If only we could look around and include in our resolutions some positive actions which can bring the world closer to peace, humanity and harmony.