5 ways to kick start 2015

Hey all,

Ok so it's week three of 2015- which means by now there's going to be quite a few people who are sitting online thinking about how they have once again broken their resolutions for the year and about what to do now?  Might not be you, but statistical information says that if it's not you, then it's someone nearby.

Well let me start off by saying the answer is NOT to go and decide you are a hopeless case and spend the rest of the year sitting here reading articles about great things people do online and wishing you'd achieved goals. There's still another 300 plus days in which you can make something happen and I don't want to see anyone missing out on that.

It's why this post is going to give you five ways to kick start 2015. These might not be your new years resolutions, but I can assure you that if attempt to do them, your life will be better and who knows, you may even get to those other resolutions you set for yourself as well.

Number 1: See the positive in all situations

Ok so you may not have lost that weight yet, or stopped that habit but chances are you've done something else pretty cool over the last few weeks (even if it was just getting some much needed
rest).

Something I'm learning in life as I get older is that a large amount of everyday situations that happen in life have a positive behind them, you just have to look for it.

Take for example my current struggle of not getting annoyed in traffic. Now I'm impatient at the best of times, but recently, I've started to get really frustrated when stuck in traffic- even for two minutes! It's one of those things that I first thought was a major flaw, but then I saw the positive in this - not that I missed being in an accident or that it was good to be stuck in traffic, but rather that this was God's way of testing my patience, something I'd prayed about before. While I'm still struggling with this big time, everytime I get stuck now, I get annoyed, then I remember that this is about testing and I stop getting so annoyed and I instead focus on learning to be more patient.

The same principles can apply to the tough times in your life. If you look for the lessons to be found instead of just rueing the situation, you could gain so much more out of it all.

Number 2: Get the most out of what you've got

Did you ever hear of the story of the person who wanted a pizza but who didn't have the money to get one. They complained about how much they wanted pizza for dinner, but how they needed pay day to come around so they could have spare cash to go to the pizza store to get one. This same person however was sitting in a house where they had yeast, water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetables and meat aka. the ingredients for a pizza.

If you didn't get the message from that little tale, it's this- instead of complaining about not having a pizza, if the person had realised they had all the ingredients for a pizza, they could have made one themselves and solved their problem.

The same goes for us with our gifts and talents. We might think someone is better than us at something or we haven't been as blessed as they have. The thing is though, there's probably tens of other traits that we excel at that they don't. We are all unique and of value - it's just up to us to see what it is that makes us this and then use it to our advantage.

Next time you feel you aren't strong enough, capable enough or smart enough to get to a goal, instead of complaining about it, see if you can use your gifts and talents to reach that goal another way. You may just get there, or if you don't, you'll find what you should be aiming for instead, because God never wastes a valid effort.

Number 3: Give love

This third one sounds so simple but it's one of the hardest things we can do in life.

Giving love doesn't just mean looking for a girlfriend or boyfriend, pining for marriage or if in a marriage showering gifts on your spouse. It means so much more than this and can be as simple as choosing to see the good in another person, sharing what you have with those who don't have
anything or just making someones day by being kind to them when the rest of the world isn't.

The act of giving love is also hard because if it is done genuinely and is aiming to make a difference, it should be done with a full heart and expecting nothing in return. We don't love because we know we'll get something back for it, nor should we love with the dregs from the bottom of the tank of life. We need to love with all we've got- no matter how much it may hurt us to do so and expect nothing in return, except the satisfaction that we've helped make the world a better place.

While it may be hard, giving love, as any couple who sacrifices in their relationship will know, leads to so many great rewards and will truly make you happier in your life. God blesses those who give love abundantly. I could share so many stories of people in my own life who I know this is true about but I'll leave it to say that this is something you should just try, because it will truly change you.

Number 4: Walk

This one is for all those whose new years resolution was to either be happier or lose weight.

Did you know that a recent study of over 200,000 people found that the best way to increase your lifespan and improve your health was to walk?

Yep you heard correctly- while cardio, gym and other fitness might help you get trim, gain muscle and look fab, if you are trying to stay healthy, then a simple walk of 30 mins a day will do the job just fine.

Walking also has the added bonus of enabling more oxygen to get into your system which helps clear your mind and this leads to less panic, great for those who are stressed out or who want to be happier.

So, it's time to get those walking shoes on and go for a walk around the block (after reading this post of course!)

Number 5 : Smile

Yep, the last one if my favourite one, because it's so simple but it's so effective, when it comes to getting you motivated and making your year great.

Smiling has so many benefits. We know from emojis that a smile can brighten a persons day but there's so much more it can do when you DIY (do it yourself)!

When you smile, it relaxes facial muscles and removes tension, It also makes you more appealing to others, releases endorphins which make you happier and can reduce stress and can increase white blood cells which fight off disease. Then of course there's my favourite thing about smiling, and that's it's contagious, so if you're having a bad day, smiling at someone can turn it all around because suddenly, everyone around you will be smiling and the world will seem a more cheerful place to be in.

There are so many more ideas that I could write about to help you kick start 2015 but I hope that these five will give you the boost you need to make the rest of the year as amazing as God would want it to be.

And one final note: just remember that you're not alone in this boat. We are all working to make ourselves better everyday - whether we setting new years resolutions or not, so make sure to share your stories of success and hardship with your friends and family and seek support where needed. We can't do this alone, but together, we can kick some amazing goals this year- I believe in you all with this one!

Till next time...