For most of us, the new year comes with the desire to improve our lives in a few (or in many) ways. To that end, I’d like to help by sharing some tips that I’ve followed for several years. I clipped these tips from a Dear Abby column a while back. They are originally from Overeaters Anonymous, and I’ve revised them slightly to make them apply to more of life’s challenges.
The advice is sound — whether you’re trying to lose weight, increase your sales, better lead your company, become more organized or improve your day-to-day life at home or at the office. The key is to take it one day at a time.
I’d suggest putting these tips with your yearly goals. Reread them every time you review your goals, and you’re more likely to stay on track — and be happy.
— Marc Corsini
Just For Today
- Just for today, I will try to live through this day only; I will not try to overcome all my problems at once. I’ll take change in small doses. I’ll try changing a bad habit for twelve hours. After that, I have a feeling that I probably can keep it up for longer.
- Just for today, I will try to be happy. Abraham Lincoln said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” He was right. I will not dwell on things that depress me or make me angry. I will mindfully think of things that make me feel happy and fulfilled.
- Just for today, I will align my expectations with reality. I will try to change those things that I can change and accept those things I cannot change.
- Just for today, I will try to improve my mind. I will not be a mental loafer. I will make myself read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
- Just for today, I will exercise my soul. I will do a good deed for somebody — without letting the person know it. (If he or she finds out I did it, it won’t count.) I will do at least two things that I know I should do but that I have been putting off. If I am offended or hurt, I will not show it nor respond in kind. I will try to be my very best self.
- Just for today, I will be agreeable. I will look as good as I can, dress well, talk softly, act courteously and speak ill of no one. Just for today, I’ll not try to improve anyone except myself.
- Just for today, I will have a plan. I might not follow it exactly, but I will have it, thereby saving myself from two problems: hurry and indecision.
- Just for today, I will have a quiet half-hour to relax alone. During this time I will reflect on my day and my actions in it, and I will try to get a better perspective on my life.
- Just for today, I will be unafraid. I will gather the courage to do what is right and take the responsibility for my own actions. I will expect nothing from the world — but I will realize that as I give to the world, the world will give to me.
- Just for today, I will do what I do better. Business coaching has taught me that what counts is not the number of hours you put in but how much you put in the hours. People who are productive and successful don’t get there by chance — they have worked some type of plan to get where they want to be. And they work very hard at their craft every day.
Think of this last one as Corsini’s Bonus Tip, and know that it applies to everything and every situation you’ll encounter today and every day: Just for today, do what you do better.
Recent Comments