In a nod to The Twelve Days of Christmas and the tradition of New Year's resolutions, I'm offering Twelve Suggestions for the New Year.
#12: Write a handwritten note each month to someone who will appreciate receiving snail mail. I prefer e-mail so that I have a record of my communication and my handwriting is terrible, but every once in a while I sit down and send a handwritten note because I know that to some it means more.
#11: Click here to read Suggestion #11 on my Effective Family Communication blog.
#10: The next time your family gathers for a grandparent's birthday celebration, have that person share one significant memory from each decade of his/her life. This is a great way to get an overview of someone's life in a limited amount of time. It is affirming to the one who is asked to share and educational for your children.
#9: Only cats have nine lives. Buckle up and put the phone down while driving. I'll join you in admitting this is difficult, but now that we have a young driver in our home, I am being reminded of the many bad habits I have developed because of my years of experience. At some point all of the experience in the world can't offset poor decisions.
#8: Get eight hours of sleep. I call my wife the Energizer Bunny because she gets far less sleep than I do and somehow just keeps on going (don't worry, I have other, better names for her). I know I function better after a good night's sleep and as I age a good night's sleep is harder to come by. So I'm going to try and get in a routine that allows me to spend eight hours in bed even if not every minute is spent sleeping.
#7: Have a Sabbath rest each week. This Jewish tradition is thousands of years old and just as needed today. For me personally, a Sabbath rest is a reminder that I need to trust in the presence and provision of God. It would seem I could make more money working seven days a week, but at some point it isn't balanced or healthy, it damages relationships, and is generally unsustainable. In August, Senator Joe Lieberman published "The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath."
#6: It's amazing how much energy many of us expend getting the parking spot closest to the door. How about parking six spots beyond the closest and getting some additional exercise walking a few yards further each way? It won't change your life, but may remind you of the need to keep moving those joints. Of course, if it's pouring, get as close as possible.
#5: Lose five pounds by no longer drinking sugary drinks. The average American consumes 20 teaspoons of sugar per day, much of it in sugary drinks. My problem is I rarely drink soda, so I'll have to find another way to lose those pounds.
#4: Read one book a quarter - that's one book every three months. Now the readers among you (those who have made it this far into the newsletter) scoff at such a suggestion. Many of you read a book a month, and some a book a week, but for those who aren't reading at all, start with four books this year and see what it does to broaden your conversations (no, I don't have romance novels in mind!).
#3: Think of three people from your past to thank for their contributions to your life. I did this a while back and the responses were wonderful. We often talk about people who have impacted us for good, but may not take the time to thank them personally. So call them up, send them one of those handwritten notes, write an e-mail, friend them on Facebook - just let them know they have made a difference.
#2: Travel to two places this year that you've never been to before. Choose one local destination (every community has interesting spots worth visiting - don't they?) and one at a distance. This past year we went to Beaver Island, Michigan, for a memorable family vacation, and this next month my wife and I are going to our local art museum - a place we've never been together.
#1: Once a day tell someone "I love you." This bears repeating and is something people never tire of hearing (as long as your behavior within the relationship is consistent with those words).
May you have an amazing 2012! I'd love to hear your responses to these twelve suggestions.
