Positive Mind

What can we learn from the last year to help us navigate our way to success in 2012?

As you reflect, you have a choice. You can remember the year as one of turbulence – or one of personal triumph. I am grateful for both. I am grateful for things that I would not have experienced or learned if 2011 had been as smooth as I hoped. But, for every tough thing that happened, you will find a positive thing, too.

One way to start making a difference in 2012 is to evaluate the spokes on the wheel of your life - physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, personal and professional. Here are some of the pledges I follow to ensure I stay on course.

• Physical - I will continue to exercise every day for at least an hour, sleep seven hours a night, eat no more calories than I burn off, drink lots of water and be sensible with alcohol and coffee.
• Mental - I will continue to read every day and study and learn. I believe that the day I stop learning will be the day I start dying.
• Emotional - I will focus on learning to love myself better in a relationship. I know that when I am not true to who I am, it always backfires!
• Spiritual - I want to continue to find some time each week for three hours of solitude and to continue to use my eight-minute snooze each day after the alarm goes off to continue my gratitude meditation.
• Professional - I want to overcome my fear of success and continue challenging myself to enhance my career prospects.

Mentoring is a practical way to fulfil your goals. Find a mentor and be one. Start with working out the one area of your life that you would like to achieve a breakthrough in, then think of someone you can ask to mentor you to attain it. And be pro-active about mentoring someone. You will feel the sense of joy at making a difference to someone else.