When was the last time someone said a kind word to you?  or the last time you said a kind word to someone else?  I am constantly amazed by the power of words to heal or hurt.  I know that my life has been completely changed by just a few words of encouragement scattered here and there at pivotal moments in my growth.  Whether it was my parents, sister, friend, or teacher – a word or two of “hey, I really like that”, or “you have a real talent for that” can set your course and lead you into areas you would not have discovered on your own.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Mother Teresa

In the corporate world, employees often receive “performance reviews” and ratings that focus on correction or “areas of improvement”.  How much more valuable and effective would it be if the evaluations focused on encouragement only and ignored the rest?  I would love to conduct an experiment, evaluate the impact of encouragement on employee morale.  For when we believe in ourselves, we are motivated, we are inspired, we are productive.

“When you have once seen the glow of happiness on the face of a beloved person, you know that a man can have no vocation but to awaken the light on [all] the faces surrounding him.” Albert Camus

In the eyes of a child, it can be transformational to say the words, “I believe in you.”  It can define a person and create a ripple effect on all who surround him.  Mary Barnett Gilson says “…there are persons who seem to have overcome obstacles and by character and perseverance to have risen to the top. But we have no record of the numbers of able persons who fall by the wayside, persons who, with enough encouragement and opportunity, might make great contributions.”

Encouragement… Don’t be afraid to give it.  Graciously receive it.  And watch how your world blooms.

What is it about starting the new year that brings hope, potential, dreaming? Is it the desire to cast off the dredges of the current year? Out with the old, in with the new and all that? Or is it the opportunity to start over? reinvent yourself? reinvent your life, your home?

I have always found resolutions to be frustrating. I would make them and barely implement any. And at the next new year I would find myself revisiting my list – “didn’t do that, didn’t do that”. It lead to a sense of sadness and feeling inadequate; like I never completed anything. And yet, I am always excited by possibility at the start of a new year – oh the things I could accomplish if I just focused and implemented some resolutions! There must be a simpler way.

What is a resolution anyway, if not just some type of goal or commitment. We’ve heard many people talk about SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Maybe that could work to turn resolutions into more actionable goals. Yet that still seems a little daunting. On our favorite social network, yes I mean Facebook, I also see people set one intention or a general theme for the new year. I do love that idea and will probably do that, too. I was also thinking – why not set one resolution per month and keep the feeling going all year. There’s no need to limit re-invention to January. Or on the eve of July 1, one could set half year resolutions. 🙂

But my niece, a school-teacher, found this idea recently from Life is Better Messy for helping her students set resolutions, and I think it’s a great idea for 2014. You use the numbers in the upcoming year to set your resolutions. For example, for the year 2014:

• 2 – Two new goals I have for this year
• 0 – Something I’d like to stop doing
• 1 – One new book I want to read
• 4 – Four things I want to learn

I think I can do that! I love the simplicity of this idea, and the attainability potential – yep, I said that! Of course I am tempted to go way beyond it and add to it, but I DON’T HAVE TO. Knowing that makes it fun and sort of thrilling to set something I’m 99% sure I can attain. Here they are:

• 2 new goals – get PS Bonjour setup and post at least once a week
• 0 something to stop doing – let go of negativity
• 1 new book to read – Happiness Project
• 4 things I want to learn – conversational French, how to make Coq au Vin, one new song on piano, how to sew a pillow

BTW, the one new book I want to read is the “Happiness Project”. I’ve heard that it is great but can also be overwhelming in the ideas she suggests for change. I will have to let you know when I set my resolutions for 2015. 🙂 And I’m sure I will read many more books than one, I may need to flip resolutions with numbers next year.