F.R.E.S.H. Start

Part 1 of 5

At the beginning of a new year I always feel a mixture of excitement and hope along with a need to reflect on the year that’s passed. I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. They don’t really work out that well for me or, for that matter, for most people. But I do believe in regularly setting aside time to review, reflect, and learn from both the small and large things I experience in my life. And the beginning of a new year feels like a brand new book with blank pages, just waiting for me to write in them.

So this year I’m getting a FRESH Start. I’ve summed up the 5 areas I want to improve with the acronym F.R.E.S.H.

Focus

I have to admit that focus hasn’t been a strength for me this year. Being online is my job. It’s where I practice my art and apply my skills. It’s a place I love to be. But it is incredibly distracting. So many bells and whistles, so many bright, shiny, new things. Promises of a quick fix, an easier way or guarantees that “You can’t fail with our system” are everywhere. And some of them are very tempting.

So this year I will practice focus. Like a muscle that can be strengthened with use, I’ll be training myself to focus. I’ll remove distractions from my space and create an optimum environment for focusing. Like shutting down email and my phone during certain tasks and using tools to manage my time, my emails and my well-being. In Connor O’Leary’s TEDx video he tells us how focus saved his life. As a world class cyclist he describes how one tiny lack of focus, not seeing that one small pebble, can cause huge and potentially deadly mistakes to happen. In the same way, taking my eyes off the task at hand could cost me hours of work, frustration, or even loss of credibility and trust. Training my mind to be better focused is key in 2015.

Check back for the rest of my 2015 areas for improvement and be sure to share your goals and resolutions for the New Year in the comments so we can all be inspired!