The New Year is almost here, a time for making promises. But resolutions that sound so seriously possible, especially when combined with champagne: “This year I’m going to…and I really mean it this time…”, are usually short-lived.

Promises,

 

Promises

* 8% of resolutions stick
* Among the Top 10 for 2015:

  • enjoy life to the fullest & learn something exciting.

Sadly, what we earnestly intend at the year’s beginning — a full and exciting life — is also the regret most commonly mentioned at life’s end.

A book called: “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying”, by Bronnie Ware (2012), lists the things that those who had limited time left had wanted to do in their lifetime. They were things that were meaningful to them and had hoped that one day they’d get to do them. They are even the same things mentioned by those of us in good health that we hope to do too. But health interfered, and their dreams were left behind. Most admitted that they had not honored even half of their dreams.

Before you buy your new 2016 day planner, or fill in the first meetings on your digital calendar, ask yourself this: Will you make room in it to follow your dream? Take a new chance? A measured risk? Or is it a continuation of the same.

It’s never too late to follow your dream. Maxine Clarke, realized that money alone did not buy happiness and built a new path, by creating ‘Build-A-Bear’. She began this new endeavor at 48.

Each moment is a new choice – what dream do you have that’s still waiting? Become the person you want to be.

Do What You Love

* Most Americans are unhappy at work; Forbes, 2014

The day I lost my day planner, I lost my way and afraid I had missed ‘something important’. So I quickly replaced it – but instead of refilling it, rewrote it. The fear of having regrets later, overcame the fear of changing my life. I learned to fly at 45.

In following my heart, I found my real life’s passion in aviation then opened doors to follow another dream, and my involvement in aerospace.

Imagine the extraordinary. Touch the impossible. Create the life you want. Resolve to make 2016 the year when you added life to your years ahead. May good health and joy be yours!