We just finished the time of year when we are all filled with wonder, love, and a general sense of well-being. During the holidays many of us participated more in charitable giving, religious traditions, family gatherings, great food, great friends and hopefully, some random acts of kindness.

During one of my holiday shopping trips I complimented a cashier about how great she looked for her age (after she said she was 73) and she rewarded my compliment by swiping a 'friends and family' discount coupon and took 25% off my order!

Her random act of kindness touched me deeply. I'm still marveling at it now. She didn't have to do that and it certainly wasn't expected. My compliment to her was genuine. And because she did that for me, it inspired me to do a kindness for someone else that day.

Now here it is the beginning of 2015 and many people consider this to be a blank slate; a chance to write their year anyway they want to, but why do you need to start over? If you live every day with kindness, gratitude and choosing happiness isn't that enough?

If you made New Year resolutions, we hope you included 'random acts of kindness' to the list. Pay for someone's coffee or lunch. Give up your seat to someone less physically able. Donate -- clothes or time or money. Give a compliment at least once per day. Say 'thank you' when you receive a compliment rather than rejecting the verbal kindness.  

Most of all, be kind to yourself. Make your bed every day (it's amazing how this simple act will affect you). Take time to get some sort of pampering done. Go for a drive or walk barefoot in the grass or sand. Buy yourself a new outfit or go to a movie or out to dinner or sign up for a class or go to the gym -- whatever it is that is a 'treat' for you, make time to do it.

The fact is, we each have just one life and, despite our thought process to the contrary, we have the free will to choose how we live it.  

So many of us feel trapped and 'forced' into tasks that we simply do not enjoy. Given none of us know how long this life will last, we really should live it the way we want to, not the way we think we should. All we really have is 'right this minute'. There is no yesterday and there is no tomorrow, only now.

So don't be a slave to self-imposed 'responsibilities'. If something doesn't feel good to you, don't do it. For example, if you have a hard time saying 'no' and find yourself over-committed and resenting it, STOP. The word NO is a complete sentence. You don't need to defend your choice or actions to anyone.

Try to keep in mind too, there are 24 hours in each day; allow yourself at least one or two for your soul. If you make it a priority, if you schedule it in, you will find that you actually DO have time for whatever it is that will make your life more full and joyous.   And why shouldn't you? This is YOUR life.