A New Years Tradition

Happy New Year! Randy and I are proud to say that we watched the ball drop this year. We went to friends' home to play games and stayed until after midnight. It's been an unusual day. The temperature got up to about 58 degrees today (although it was raining most of the day). It will only get up to 26 tomorrow, so Randy decided when we got home that tonight (now, right this very minute) was the perfect time (or at least the warmest time)to take down the outside Christmas lights. Unfortunately, he's having a hard time raising much enthusiasm on my part to help out for two reasons -- I put them all up by myself and it took me a whole day. Now I don't want to spend a whole night taking them down. The other problem is that the most magical part of Christmas to me is the lights. I am going to miss them big time!

Anyway, I decided to blog instead. Randy's brother married Jennifer in 1981. I think their very first Christmas they had our family's name for the gift exchange. Lucky US! Jennifer must have still been worried about being accepted into the family because she actually took the time to make these adorable counted cross stitch stockings for each of our children. The children put out their big stockings for Santa to fill, but these gifts of love were always hung from cup hooks mounted underneath the fireplace mantle. Santa would put a small treat in them -- sometimes it was the gold chocolate coins that have been a Christmas tradition in Randy's family for five generations.

These little stockings became a part of a simple tradition. On New Year's Day we would have each of the children write down their goals (or New Year's Resolutions, if you will) for the coming year. Then they would fold the paper up and put it inside their little Christmas stocking, which would then be packed away until the next year. When we got the stockings out again, it was a perfect opportunity for each of them to take the paper out and evaluate how they had done in achieving their goals for the year.

Here are a few things to think about as we begin a new year:

Winners have lots of solutions.

Losers have lots of problems.

Winners plan to succeed.

Losers fail to plan.

Winners think in terms of rewards.

Losers think in terms of risks.

Winners believe the future is now and will get better.

Losers believe the good old days are gone forever.

Winners look forward to every new day.

Losers would rather stay in bed.

Winners put in 110% effort.

Losers are satisfied just to get by.

Winners say it may be difficult but it's possible.

Losers say it may be possible but it's too difficult.

Winners associate with winners who are disciplined, energetic and productive.

Losers spend time with losers, time wasters, talkers, and complainers.

Winners are willing to work for nothing in the short run knowing that reasonable compensation will come over the long term.

Losers expect their employers or government to support them.

Winners believe every day you waste is one that can never be made up.

Losers waste days and hope they do not have to be made up.

Winners inspire and lift you.

Losers leave you feeling low and drained.

Winners always find time for the important things.

Losers are always too busy.

Winners do things right the first time.

Losers never do things right.

Winners accept criticism and are always looking for ways to improve.

Losers avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and are nothing.

This year I want to be more of a WINNER!