Happy New Year! Tips for the year 2012

Happy New Year to everyone! Thank you for your support in the past year. We sincerely appreciate the feedback, comments, and love we have received from our readers. Here's praying that 2012 will give you more and better than your best hopes and dreams.

A new year is a good time to gauge where you are versus where you want  or hoped to be. I bet many have been stressing over what they did not do and what they could have done in the past year. Here is my take on it all:

1) Thank God. Count your blessings because I am sure you have some things you are happy about. Maintain an attitude of thankfulness and gratitude to God.

2) Give yourself a break. Sure you did not do all you planned - get over it and move on! You have another chance. Be thankful for that!

3) Set REALISTIC GOALS for the new year. Do not make new year resolutions because once the year gets old, those resolutions go down the drain (usually takes about a month)! Set life goals. For example instead of planning to go to the gym every day, plan to go 3 times a week or better still plan to get "active and stay healthy by taking tennis lessons 3 times a week". That way you've got some grace to miss up to 4 days!

4) Humble yourself and be accountable to someone. You cannot do it alone and that is a fact. Ask people to hold you accountable for your life goals. It helps to motivate you when you know you have to answer to someone else.

5) Serve other people. It is not just about you. There are so many gifts and talents you have that will bless and be of benefit to other people. And I bet there is someone near you, that God has set up, waiting to be blessed by no one else but you. Do you have a kind word? Do you have ready-to-be-replaced and well maintained clothes? Hair products you are not using? So go out there and be a blessing!

6) Do one thing new for yourself in 2012. Just one thing. You will remember it for a long time. It will delight you especially when you are having a tough or rough patch.

7) Trust God. God loves you and His love for you is deep, wide, long and very BIG. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11). This is true - believe it!

So go on and have a thankful, trusting, giving, selfless, humble, realistic, and graceful new year!

Keep it natural!

Omozo