Another Christmas has come and gone. I hope yours was a good one. Mine was terrific. This year something wonderful happened. My family and friends pulled together to create one of our best Christmases, not only for the children but for me as well. And that is something I am truly grateful for. I am similarly grateful to teachers and caregivers who have worked to ensure that my children and I come through this process stronger than ever. Thank you to everyone who has grown with us on this journey.
With that, here are the lessons of 2008 which have transformed my life. With these lessons I encourage you to have your best year— ever.
Act Eckhart Tolle said it best in A New Earth: everything you have to achieve success is already at your fingertips — you just need to be open to it. Nothing can stop you from achieving success except you. No one can hold you back but you. We just need to open our eyes to the possibilities. We are so often crippled by our own fears that we do nothing. Not just fear of failure but fear of success. Fear of the unknown. Don’t sit still — get moving! Make it happen for yourself.
Live in the moment Stop living in autopilot. Be present with your wife, your husband, your children, your work, your passion. Savour each moment as if it is your last. There is more to life than the routine.
Let go Forgive yourself without blame and judgement. Forgive your spouse, your brother, your mother or father. Life is too short to hang onto old grudges and keep score. Being present requires that you let go of it all, face it, and embrace it. Because it is only through acceptance can you truly change.
Accept Accept yourself for who you are. Without recrimination or blame. It is only through self acceptance that we can truly love and accept others.
Believe You have to believe in yourself before anyone else will. Sure you think you are a hack, you think you will be ‘caught’ but those who truly love you will accept you, warts and all. Someone who truly loves you will walk with you through that journey of self discovery.
Positivity A blog by Wayne C. Allen of the Phoenix Centre said it best. Allen asks you to sit down and create A List of 50. This list comprises those positive qualities you seek not only in a partner but in your circle of friends. He firmly believes that once you hone this list, the people whom you truly wish to be surrounded by will appear. The people will not appear out of thin air, however, because you have defined what you want, your mind will be open to seeing it.
Ask to receive This is a point I’ve grappled with for years. It had been easier for me to sulk than ask for what I wanted. That would’ve required acknowledgement. Today, I’ve learned to ask for what I want without any guilt, blame or games. It’s amazingly liberating. Grab a pen and paper and answer this question very specifically: What do I really want? Then describe how your life will look once you have it. It is amazing how things really do change once you acknowledge them.
Gratitude By far my biggest stumbling block has been gratitude. New Age philosophers have been touting the power of gratitude for several decades now. But it is truly fascinating how good things simply multiply for you once you begin to show gratitude for what you already have.
Today, I am truly grateful for the lessons of 2008. While sometimes very painful, they have allowed me to move forward with hope. If you wish to read further, visit Wayne C. Allen’s Phoenix Centre weblog. It has truly opened my eyes.

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