Look for the Good in Every Day

A new year is before us, ripe with opportunities and promise. I love the feel of ‘the new’, and while the slate isn’t totally clean that we start with, it still brings with it the feeling of freshness and new beginnings.

For several years I’ve chosen a word of the year to focus on. Last year I couldn’t make up my mind, so I chose three: authentic, action, and joyful. Towards the end of 2018, knowing this chance to pick new words to focus on was coming up again, I started writing down words that I was drawn to. I had a post-it note on my December calendar and when I’d run across another word I liked, I’d add it to my list. By the last week of the year I had several words to pick from – balance, peace, delight, nourish, healthy, grateful, blessed. I liked all of them. Any of them would have been a great word for me to laser in on. My life would be richer with any of those words magnified in my life. I couldn’t choose.

While driving between the stores I service in my day job, my mind usually wanders and drifts as I travel the familiar route. One day a phrase popped into my mind and I knew immediately that this was my 2019 focus.

Look for the good in every day.

Somehow I jumped from three words to seven. But I knew that I needed this whole phrase. I think I’m usually fairly optimistic – probably more so than many. But yet, I still see how I’m starting to fall back into patterns of grumblings and under the breath mutterings. Too much for my own peace of mind. So I need to regroup and notch up the positivity. Gratitude and thankfulness amplify positivity – as does seeing the good in every day.

As an aside, I thought of making the phrase – find the good in every day. That’s only six words, instead of seven. But it didn’t feel as spot on for me as the words I initially thought of. To me, ‘find’ implies a more passive thought. It seems like it’s recognizing the good that is there, but only if I happen to run across it. To ‘look for’ feels more action oriented, something I have to actively search for with the intent of finding it.

With that thought in mind, I’m thankful that the hours this week are a little lighter than the past few weeks have been. That gave me the time – and the energy – to be home this afternoon to write this post. While the past few weeks were heavier in hours than usual, I’ll be thankful for the larger paycheck. I’m thankful for the health that’s carried me through a hectic holiday season and all the loved ones in my life that I was able to send Christmas packages to. And I’m doubly thankful for the past few days that have been close to 70-degrees. Now, that’s my kind of January winter day!

AYes, life is good and I’m looking forward to a magnificent 2019 filled with family, friends, love and a multitude of blessings. Wishing the same to you all!