20 Tips for a Positive New Year

1. Stay positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible, or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.
2. Take a morning walk of gratitude. I call it a “Thank You Walk.” It will create a fertile mind ready for success.
3. Make your first meal the biggest and your last meal the smallest. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed-out charge card.
4. Zoom Focus. Each day when you wake up in the morning, ask: “What are the three most important things I need to do today to help me create the success I desire?” Then tune out all the distractions and focus on these actions.
5. Talk to yourself instead of listening to yourself. Instead of listening to your complaints, fears and doubts, talk to yourself and feed your mind with the words and encouragement you need to keep moving forward.
6. Remember that adversity is not a dead end but a detour to a better outcome.
7. Don’t chase dollars or success. Decide to make a difference and build meaningful relationships, and success will find you.
8. Get more sleep. You can’t replace sleep with a double latte.
9. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in your purpose, people and the positive present moment.
10. Mentor someone, and be mentored by someone.
11. Live with the three Es: energy, enthusiasm, empathy.
12. Remember there’s no such thing as an overnight success. There’s no substitute for hard work.
13. Believe that everything happens for a reason, and expect good things to come from challenging experiences.
14. Implement the No Complaining Rule. Remember that if you are complaining, you’re not leading.
15. Read more books than you did in 2013.
16. Don’t seek happiness. Instead, decide to live with passion and purpose, and happiness will find you.
17. Focus on “Get to” versus “Have to.” Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift, not an obligation.
18. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements:  I am thankful for __________. Today, I accomplished ____________.
19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural antidepressants.
20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life, so make the most of it and enjoy it.