The Next Year

“The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year.   It is that we should have a new soul.”

G.K. Chesterton

“All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today”

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If I didn’t write tonight, it would be the first time in 37 years that I didn’t write on November 9.  I’d rather not break the streak.  Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot to say right now.  I’m just glad to be here, still writing, even if it is late.   In addition to 37 years of writing, I’m also working on reaching 365 blogs in the next 39 days.  So I have a lot of work to do.

Yet, I also want to acknowledge that I’ve done a lot of work.  Specifically, I’ve written over 280 blogs and done over 150 radio shows.  I’m not saying this to brag, but I am excited about it.  It’s the most work I think I’ve ever done in my life.  And I don’t see an end in sight. 

In my last blog, I reviewed the changes this writing year has brought, so I won’t do that again.  Instead, here are my goals and hopes for the coming year.  Taking a page from Jack Canfield’s book, The Success Principles, I’m going to write as many as possible.  I may not reach 101 goals as he suggests, but I’m going to list a few.  In no particular order, here they are:

·      Read or listen to 50 books

·      Have over 700 blogs written

·      Have at least three books published

·      Make a down payment for my house on the beach

·      Pay off all my debts

·      Have at least six months worth of savings available

·      Walk for over 150 hours

·      Complete over 300 radio shows

·      Find a good mentor

·      Keep my trunk clean and organized

·      Become conversational in Spanish

·      Drink 100 gallons of water

·      Find a good spiritual center

·      Spend at least one weekend in a monastery

Those are good goals for the next year.  Here are a few lifetime goals:

·      See Misawa Airbase.

·      See Australia

·      See Mexico

·      See Canada

·      Spend at least a month in Chicago

·      See the United States

·      Write at least ten books

·      Have enough money to put my children and grandchildren through college.

·      Have a writing career

·      Make a positive impact in the world

·      Live in good health

·      Be content.

Those are good lists.  That’s a good way to start off my writing year.  I’m feeling grateful and peaceful.  I’m ready to Get Started and Keep Going.  There’s something about having written goals that makes me happy.  It increases my adrenaline while relaxing me at the same time.  I think it even keeps me healthier.

Now my immediate goal is to get some sleep.  But I feel excited about life and I might even look at this blog every day to remind myself what I want for this year.