Hard to believe that another year has come and gone. As we kick off the new year, I suggest you take some time and reflect. Review 2007. Plan for 2008. It will help you start the New Year with a renewed sense of purpose, and joy for life!

1. Celebrate the best. Bury the worst. Take some time to remember the great things that happened to you in 2007. Celebrate them. If you had a hard time this year, or had a certain thing occur that really caused you pain, learn from it, then bury it and move on. Use the start of a new year as a reason to move forward. Stop looking over your shoulder and look straight ahead instead.
2. Renew old acquaintances. Find five people you want to get back in touch with and contact them this week. Old friend from college? Teacher/mentor? In this age of social networking, there is no way you can’t track them down. Say thank you. More importantly, tell them about you and learn about them. Renew the relationship.
3. Commit to doing less, better. In a column on to do items, this will sound funny, but make a don’t do list. Commit this year to do less, and to do those things better. Concentrate on what you really want to do, and say “no” more often to the things that distract from those goals.
4. Schedule at least one mental health day each quarter. Do it now. With the rush of the season, it’s hard sometime to plan ahead. Take time to figure out one day every three months that you can take off – just for you. Holidays don’t count! Taking this time can make you a better worker, colleague, partner. It’s a valuable investment.

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