Advice for The Coming New Year

Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Share a funny story with someone whose spirits are dragging. Vow not to make a promise you don’t think you can keep. Give a soft answer. Free yourself of envy and malice. Make a genuine effort to stay in closer touch with family and good friends. Find the time to be kind and thoughtful. All of us have the same allotment: 24 hours a day. Think things through. Forgive an injustice. Listen more. Be kind. Apologize when you realize you are wrong. Try to understand a point of view that is different from your own. Few things are 100 percent one way or another. Lighten up. When you feel like blowing your top, ask yourself, “Will it matter a week from today?”. Laugh the loudest when the joke is on you. The sure way to have a friend is to be one. Avoid malcontents and pessimists. They drag you down and contribute nothing. When courage is needed, ask yourself, “If not me, who? If not now, when?” Take better care of yourself. Remember, you’re all you’ve got. Walk tall, and smile more. You’ll look 10 years younger. Don’t be afraid to say, “I love you.” Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world. If you have love in your life, consider yourself blessed, and vow to make this the best year ever.

~ Ann Landers