Lost Your Sparkle? Time for Some Shine!

Photo Credit: Garry Knight/Creative Commons

The end of January is next week. Can you believe it?

For some, New Year’s resolutions are already distant memories. For others, those heartfelt intentions are quickly losing some sparkle.

You may remember, I don’t make resolutions, but I do set goals. (That may sound like a little matter of semantics, but I’ve often heard it put this way: One’s a hope. The other’s a plan.)

Whatever your method for goal-setting  it only makes sense to have a plan.

Your plan may not be the same as mine.

That’s okay!

One thing’s for certain–whatever our plan, it won’t be perfect. Our steps won’t be the same as someone else’s.

Our footing might be a little wobbly along the way. We may stumble from time to time. Our sense of balance may be challenged, and if we’re not sensitive to our own internal barometers, our attitudes may suffer.

If you’ve joined me here for very long, you know that I love to encourage.

Because I understand something about loss and heartache, I have compassion for the hurting.

I’ve wandered in the valley of mourning.

I’ve dined on platters of brokeness.

Life’s buffet hasn’t always been tasty.

On the flip side, I’ve learned.

I’ve grown.

I’ve savored hope, renewal, joy, and victory.

I’ve traded saucers for serving bowls to contain my blessings. And when those overflowed, I’ve brought out the big guns–casserole dishes and crock pots!

I’ve found the best way to prepare for a feast is to shake out the tablecloth and grab my best dishes.

No matter what the grocery checker may ask, this is a time when paper or plastic just won’t do. The disposable just doesn’t hold the same lustre as the real deal.

Why stare at the manufacturer’s seal when I’m anticipating the banquet? I’d rather see the glean of a pretty plate any day than the glow of a factory-stamp.

Life can’t always be prime rib and potatoes, but we can enjoy the meatloaf and mac and cheese while we’re coasting.

And if our dishes (and goals) get a little spot-smudged, why not spiff them up, give ’em a good washing, and add some shine?

HERE’S HOW:

Become an active participant. Don’t sit back and wonder where the suds went. Be a doer. Add the better detergent and don’t be fooled by the knock-offs. There are a lot of feel-good fixes, but rest assured, those are temporary. Their shine won’t last.

Exercise. Washing our dishes keeps them clean, but we have to do it regularly to really make them shine. The same is true for us. Our minds and bodies need regular activity to keep them strong and healthy. Not to sound like a bad diet commercial, but it’s true. It’s impossible to sparkle on a regimen of little sleep and a lax lifestyle.

Tackle something new. Stepping out of our comfort zones once in a while can lead to fabulous possibilities. It can be scary, even overwhelming, but reveling in the moment can spark a creative journey.

Make new friends. I’m not saying we should discard our current ones, but sometimes it’s good to widen our circle of relationships. When we expand our horizons, we invite knowledge. And while it’s true that knowledge is power, it’s also fun to learn something we didn’t know.

Set new goals or reassess old ones. Define objectives. Talking about what we’d like to accomplish is good. Writing goals down with concrete steps on how to obtain them is better.

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What’s a resolution/goal you’re rethinking?

How do you add some “shine” when your intentions have lost their sparkle?

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See you soon!

Blessings Always,