Reflect, Relax, Resolve, and Renew

Cynthia R. Shuster (OH)

 

We are all part of a dizzying pace that takes a high toll on our energy and our time.  Every day, we find places to go, things to do, and more tasks to discover and/or uncover at work.  With increased home and work schedules, we need to set aside time for reflection.

Reflection or thinking about our experiences in life is the key to learning.  Reflection allows us to analyze our experiences, make changes based on our mistakes, keep doing what is successful, and build upon or modify past knowledge based on new knowledge.

Reflect

“In solitude we give passionate attention to our lives, to our memories, to the details around us.”
- Virginia Woolf

Realize that you need to relax.  Many people just try to work through their stress by ignoring it and hoping the stressors pass quickly, even while stressors build up. Because of this, it's not uncommon to be caught off-guard by stress when you reach the point of feeling overwhelmed, or to be stressed to the point that the stress is taking a toll upon your physical being.  It's important to know when you need to relax.  Physically relaxing your body can lead to stress relief because it interrupts and reverses your stress response.

Relax

“Take Rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.”               
- Ovid

Resolve or resolution is a commitment an individual makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit; a new beginning.

Resolve

There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there's only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.
-
Wayne Dyer

As individuals, personal growth and renewal come from examining who we are and what we value.  Renewal is a process of shedding what is no longer useful, devoting time to self-care through rest and cleansing, and ultimately emerging new and ready for more growth.

Renew

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

As you take time to reflect, relax, resolve, and renew, here’s a short (only 128 pages) but powerful read to get you started.  “How Full is Your Bucket?” by Tom Rath is based on the theory that life is a bucket and how happy you are determines how full your bucket is.  Happiness in life often lies in simplicity, and this clear, concise book of quotes and stories is the perfect winter-afternoon read as you embark upon the New Year. 

 

Wishing You a Happy and Prosperous New Year!