We all do it. Reflect on the year just past; perhaps think back even further as we shake our heads at the swift passage of time. We lament things undone, opportunities missed. Kick ourselves for poor choices and wallow in self-pity at the consequences that sapped our strength and drove us further off course. Or maybe it’s just me? Confidentially, it would be easy for me to camp there. I am a seasoned pro at ‘would’ve, should’ve, could’ve’ thinking, and its corollary ‘why didn’t I do x, y, z?’

I could do it, but I won’t. I simply don’t have the time.

This year, 2015, will be chock full of changes and challenges. Adapting to them, learning what I need to know and effectively applying that knowledge, will require a great deal of time and energy. But I have decided that I want to be a person of excellence and integrity in every area of my life. It’s a process and it will take my whole life, but I think I’m making some baby-steps progress and will keep moving in that direction.

Here, in the real world of my daily paid job, I’m finding that working for a younger, ambitious and upwardly mobile boss means undertaking renovations to my methodology – i.e., what I do and how I do it. Creating a ‘new normal’.

I am also determined to lose weight. Not pounds of flab (well, that too), but mental and emotional excess baggage. I began the process in the Fall by unsubscribing to several emails and mailing lists – and I felt much lighter. Each daily missive was a tiny dart pricking me and highlighting my failures – to apply myself, to read the book, to take the course, to pitch for the job. And the weight of it was slowly crushing my spirit.

I will continue this streamlining, pruning process – amending and adjusting as time ticks along. I will focus on quality rather than quantity. I will let go of the ‘good’ in order to be free to embrace, or pursue, the ‘best’. I will refuse to settle for ‘good enough’ when I know I can do better.

In truth, there is one lifelong goal I plan to keep working toward: becoming the best ‘me’ that I can be. I will try to do my best and trust God with the rest. I am spending 30 minutes a day in His Word, reading the book of Proverbs in January (31 chapters). My only expectation will be that God keeps His promises and there’s a verse that reassures us that ‘God’s Word will not return to him void, but will accomplish the purposes for which he sent it’.

Meanwhile, it’s back to work I go, hi ho, hi ho…

Wishing each one you, my blogosphere friends and family, a GREATER year – Dream Bigger, Start Smaller (great advice from Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church).

May you recognize all your blessings in 2015 and be grateful for each one!