Tick, Tock!

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On the stroke of midnight, the iconic Times Square ball will drop and the clock will signify the start of the new year. The midnight hour has magical possibilities. For most people it is a time of transition, a time to believe in the power of change. 12:00 a.m. rings in sounds of cheer and harmony across the world and brings hope to those who wish to succeed.  On New Year's Eve, we rejoice, open our arms, temporarily soar to new sights, and believe. 

When we land back on solid ground, many people hope for positive change and usually take the traditional route of making resolutions. Will this lead to significant change in a way to approach life? Losing weight, eating healthy, exercising regularly are a few of the topics that people resolve to make an active part of their lives. In reality, resolutions are well-meaning and achieve momentary satisfaction but most studies over the years find that resolutions are not lasting pacts for life. Amy Moran writes in 4 Ways to Make Your New Year's Resolutions Stick in 2015 that studies show resolutions are dropped after a week and only 40% are adhered to. So what do we do? Last year at this time, I found an approach that was effective.

I created one little word to guide my path. You can access last year's post here. The word, openness, became my connector on my journey. Keeping sight on this word helped me grow as a learner and afforded me the opportunity to try new experiences. It was with a growth mindset that I was resolute to move forward. I heard the word open in many different instances, felt the impact of open doors noticed, wondered, and found new connections. 

Now, I am ready to greet 2015. With open arms I welcome a new year with a new little word. Before I reveal that one word, I want to reflect on the 2014 journey with Amy Moran's tenets:

1. Identify your readiness to change: I listened to my inner voice during the year that called me to a world of positivity and possibilities. 
2. Believe that you can do it: I realized that there is an ebb and flow to the process of change and found that this worked for me - one step forward, one misstep back.
3. Think constructively about setbacks: I created this mantra to help me think through the process. ==============>
4. Build mental strength -"Commit to building your mental muscle by conducting daily exercises that will help you get stronger." This is where the real work lies.

So now I will take my advice, Step Back Before Going Forward, and reveal my one little word that will guide my 2015 journey. By being open in 2014, I accepted the call to act positively. By listening intently to my inner voice and those around me, I will create a thoughtful connection that will propel me to hear messages when I may not have in the past. Listening is an art that is developed from childhood but how often do we really listen intently? I can take cues from Mary Rice Hopkins & Puppets who sing the Blah Blah Blah Song.  

Enjoy your 2015 journey as I start mine.

Tagxedo Word Cloud to capture my one little word: LISTEN