Take the Time-Make the Time

Okay, without thinking, finish this sentence:  I’ve been meaning to __________.  How did you fill in that blank?  As we draw near to the close of another year we all think about what might have been or the things left undone. Take some time right now to ask what needs to be done before the end of 2011 for you to really put a period on the year?  Here are 10 things to take the time and make the time to get done before the clock strikes midnight on December 31st: 

1)      Say “I love you!” Last week I was sitting at a Rotary club meeting when a couple was introduced for a special presentation.  Their story is one I simply cannot stop thinking about.  They lost their son in a senseless murder earlier this year.  Horrible.  How do you get through that?  And then the unthinkable:  they lost a teen-age daughter in an ATV accident this summer!  Their message to those at that meeting was simple:  When you look across the table at your loved ones, tell them you love them.  Pick up the phone.  Don’t assume people know.  In a moment everything can change.  Need I say more?

2)      Get (or at least schedule) the health check-up you’ve been putting off.  Many health problems can be avoided or even reversed if detected early.  High blood pressure, diabetes, many cancers.  But the longer they go undetected the more serious they become.  Take care of this one now!  By the way, your teeth are probably due for a cleaning and check-up too, so go ahead and schedule that appointment  too.

3)      Start a new exercise habit.  Don’t wait for the new year.  There is nothing magical about January 1^st.  Start now and keep going during the holidays, and hopefully you'll avoid that dreaded weight gain that so many experience between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Even the simple act of a taking 15-minute walk daily will make a difference in your energy and outlook during this hectic season.

4)      Donate your unused clothing or household items to charity.  If you haven’t used it or worn it in a year, chances are you won’t miss it and someone else can use it.  Most of us have far too much junk (I confess!) so how about clearing space in your life for the things that really matter.  We usually don’t think about just how much clutter affects our ability to be present and enjoy our lives, but it does.  Start letting go of your stuff.

5)      Do something just for fun!  The holidays offer all kinds of opportunities to experience special enjoyments.  Here in Las Vegas you could probably do a different activity every night through December and not duplicate.  Maybe that’s not your idea of “fun.”  Perhaps for you it’s sneaking out in the middle of a weekday afternoon to take in a movie or reading a favorite book.  Whatever it is, please, give yourself a gift this holiday season and do something fun!

6)      Perform a random act of kindness.  The needs seem so great—even overwhelming, especially at the holidays.  It’s easy to discount the value of a simple kind gesture toward another.  If you’ve been procrastinating because you feel overwhelmed, I challenge you to find a way to share your small gift via some random act of kindness today and in the days ahead.  We never know how much a simple kind act can change someone’s life.

7)      Make phone calls instead of sending cards.  When you care enough to send the very best, why not pick up the phone and call that friend you haven’t talked to in too long or the relative you’ve lost touch with.  Give them the gift of your voice! Sending cards has become an almost ritualistic gesture for so many of us that it has lost its meaning.  Break the mold and pick up the phone instead.  I promise you’ll make someone’s day—not to mention your own!  Make it a call-a-day and by the end of the month you'll have talked to 25 people or more!

8)      Make a list of all the great things that have happened and that you’ve done this year.  So often, our accomplishments get pushed aside in the rush to enumerate all of the crummy things that have happened or the many ways we think we’ve failed.  We rarely take the time to reflect on the things that went right.  Just doing this one thing is guaranteed to help you shift the way you look at your life in 2011.  You’ll also find the prospect of setting new year goals a lot more appealing when you start out in the plus column.  I learned this one from my friend, mentor and brilliant author Jinny Ditzler, creator of the Best Year Yet program.

9)      Forgive.  Similar to Number 1 above, I simply cannot encourage you more strongly to let go of any judgment or negativity you’re holding onto toward anyone.  Let it go.  It’s like an anchor around your neck.  It’s like taking poison but hoping it poisons the other person.  Hint:  It doesn’t.  We all have baggage.  We all have someone who has hurt us beyond what we deserve.  The more you’re willing to forgive and let go of that baggage and the pain, the more room you have in your life and heart for joy, peace and happiness.  You deserve to give yourself the gift of forgiveness, starting now.

10)  Clear up the incompletions, whatever they may be.  Do you have unfinished business with the IRS?  Maybe you’re behind on a couple of bills.  Perhaps you’ve been meaning to make some changes to your will, trust or an insurance policy.  Maybe it’s that work project that has never been urgent but is truly important.  These “little” nagging loose ends are anything but festive.  But consider the alternatives.  You fail to tie up the loose end and the situation becomes a black hole threatening to suck you under, cause you to miss a great opportunity or worse becomes a nightmare that others behind you are left to handle.  Don’t wait.  Make a list of incompletions to clear up and then “get ‘er done before the important suddenly becomes urgent. 

This week, I invite you to take the time and make the time to do what needs to be done before December 31^st.  There are at least 2-3 items on the list here I intend to do in the final days of 2011.  I want to be ready to take on 2012; ready to receive all the joys and surprises in store.  And I simply can’t do it if I’m still dragging around 2011 behind me.  Make this the week you dot the I; cross the T and then relax knowing you’ve done what you could.  How priceless is that?

Quote of the Week

"He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune."

~~Scrooge, from A Christmas Carol