Today is the very first page of a 365-page book that YOU will author. You control how the story unfolds. You decide what happens on the blank page of every day. There will be outside circumstances; however, they don't have much to do with what really happens in your book--it’s all up to your interpretation.

If this is the year you want to write a new story for your life and business, following are some recommendations on how to make it happen.

1. Think positive

“The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” – Oprah Winfrey

You can change your life just by changing your attitude. How you feel is up to you and has little to do with your circumstances. This can be a tough to swallow when things are rough and you don’t see a way out. Surrounding yourself with supporting people is invaluable during those times.

Practice positivity by turning negative thoughts into positive ones. Give constructive feedback rather than negative comments. Put yourself in the other person's shoes to understand their negative words and actions. Turn negative events into positive learning.

Optimism is one of the most important characteristics of a successful entrepreneur.

2. Practice Gratitude

We have all something to be grateful for and it does not matter what is going on in our lives. This is a question of recognizing all the things that we can possibly be grateful for, whether we take them for granted or not. Our lives become better without anything having changed except our attitude when we practice gratitude. You can start a gratitude journal and there are also other ways. We all have to find a method that works for us. Perhaps you can take a picture with your phone every day that symbolizes what you can be grateful for and post it online for your reference.

3. Say "Thank You"

Realizing that we are grateful for the people in our lives is one thing. What's even more powerful is to let those people know that we value them. A sincerely expressed “thank you” doesn’t just lift the other person’s mood--it also lifts yours. See if you can find ways to be more thankful daily. Take a look at your life so far and see if there are persons who you would like to thank, even if you no longer have regular contact with them.

4. Assess Your Wheel of Life

Look at different areas of your life: Family, friends, finances, health, relationships, your business. What are you happy about? What could be better?  What areas do you want to improve in 2022? Select one to three things in each area of your life that you want to improve and then decide on those things you are actually going to do.

5. Commit to Yourself

Select one to three changes that you want to focus on. Selecting only a few things increases the likelihood that you will follow through. Be clear on why you want to focus on these changes. Understanding your underlying feelings keeps you motivated.

6. Break Down Your Goals

Having an aspirational goal for the year and not breaking it down into a daily habit is like having a vision but no strategy for execution, which is the number one reason most companies fail to achieve their vision. And we are going to do better by focusing on habits instead of a big far-away goal.

An example of breaking down a goal:

• Earn $100K – is a goal for one year
• Earn $8K – is a goal for one month
• Earn $2K– is a goal for one week
• Earn $400 – is a daily habit

7. Get Accountability

Share your goals publicly or at least tell your circle of friends and family about them. By announcing your goals you increase the likelihood of success! Even better, get an accountability partner who occasionally checks in on you. You can also check on yourself with a montly or quarterly review. Find a group of like-minded individuals who are working on similar goals.

You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with - Jim Rohn

The best accountability you can get is to join a program that includes accountability. If you are serious about achieving your goals in 2022 reply to this email.

8. Remember to Celebrate!

It is very easy to start to beat ourselves up if we slip on goals. On the other hand, we forget to celebrate when we do well for an entire week. This doesn’t make sense! It is crucial that we recognize that it takes time to make changes and we should pat ourselves on the back for every week we are successful. Don't beat yourself up when you up when you have missed a day. Be good to ourselves this year.

So, the pen is in your hands. This is your chance to write a beautiful story for yourself. Happy New Year!