improvement

This is the day of new chances, new goals, new resolutions, new goals and dreams. So many of us decide on January 1st or 2nd to write a list of resolutions for the new year. We make the decision to change from what we’ve been, and we set out for a better diet, a better home organization, a better attitude or just simply a better outlook on life. This is the day. This is the moment. This is the hour.

So, what is yours for this year? What will you do differently? What will you alter? How will you change?

What if we changed our “resolutions” to “improvements?” Look, I’m not against resolutions, and sometimes, we really do need one or two that we can work hard toward and accomplish only with accountability and daily diligence. Yet, so many resolutions are simply dropped after a few weeks or months, and we go through the disappointment and regrets of those failed achievements. Why don’t we forget trying to change and morph into someone we never can be and just improve some things we are already accomplishing?

For example, I eat veggies now. I don’t eat a lot of them, and I probably will never get awarded the “Best Veggie Eater” award, but you know what? I definitely can improve on the amount of veggies I eat. Another thing on which I can improve is walking. I walk all over the place, but I don’t do as much as I should. So, I can make a point to walk more everyday. I can park my truck a little farther from the store entrance and walk a little farther. I can get off the couch and take a walk around the block. Another thing that I do now is I try to display kindness when I’m able. Well, what if I tried to improve that aspect about myself? Maybe I can stretch myself just a little more with each new day to be more aware of moments in which I can share a little kindness. Maybe I can go the extra mile a little more often to give a little more love to those around me.

So, instead of making so many grand resolutions that we probably won’t keep, what if everyday we all tried to improve on our acts of kindness, our eating habits, our increasing motion (exercise) and, basically, anything else in our lives that we would really like to be different?

“You’ll never be tomorrow what you are not becoming right now.” – Pastor Joey Grizzle

Today seems to be a short and sweet assignment (“Get Read All Over”)…check out your blog on various devices to see that it is readable and appeals to all possible audiences. I can “Check” this off my list. 😉

So, I suppose, I will address “Day 2: Auditing Your Brand” of the Blogging 201, as I am still in the process of completing this assignment. I have asked a couple of people to look at my blog and “gently critique” it to see what might need some improvements. I’ve received sweet, encouraging, and honest replies from two of the three fellow bloggers I approached (just haven’t heard from the third yet), and I would like to share with you their blogs, as well, to let you see why I chose them. Even though, I don’t personally know either of them, I think we have just kind of “hit it off” as “blogging neighbors.” I think both of them have incredible blogs and really share from their hearts: The Narrow Lens and Minuscule Moments of Inspiration …I do hope you will hop over to their blogs and see what they have to say today. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. 🙂

You know, if I were to be honest here, asking someone to take time to “review” my blog is a little intimidating. I really am curious and desirous of the review. I wonder all the time if my blog is intriguing, helpful, encouraging, as well as, “pleasant to the eyes;” however, I have to go through so many thoughts before I work up the courage to ask… “Will they mind my asking?” “Do they really have the time?” “Am I imposing upon them by asking?” “Will they give an honest opinion, or will they be mean, and maybe a little too blunt, or will they just simply be too sweet, not being truthful?” It takes courage and confidence to ask for an honest review, an honest answer, even an honest opinion, and it takes humility and confidence to receive constructive criticism. (yes, I used confidence twice in the same sentence. Sorry, making a subtle point. haha.) I think, sometimes…well, no, often times, we avoid asking for honesty in another’s reply to us. We may be too fearful, too intimidated, too prideful, or even too lazy, because to actually receive criticism, we might have to realize we weren’t as right as we thought we were…we might have to alter the way we’ve always done things…we might have to realize and admit we were wrong. (Ouch!) We might have to actually improve our speaking or writing skills. We may have to sit up straighter, walk a little taller, smile a little brighter. We might have to do things a little different…or a lot. We might actually have to change from who we’ve been.

Now, I know, I’m not implying we should change for every little criticism that comes our way! Goodness, NO! If we did that, we’d just become a wimpy, indecisive person who isn’t stable, proactive or even certain of our own thoughts or actions. (and that can be a thought progressed on another post) However, I do believe, if we desire true growth in our lives, we need a few leaders who can “get in our grill” and tell us how it is. We need someone who thinks differently than we do, who dreams different, who sees things different, someone who can challenge us to look at things from a different angle for our own good. Otherwise, we will live our lives puffed up in pride, never realizing we might actually stink at what we’re doing, or we will exist in our own self pity to the point we never can succeed at anything!

Well, I guess, that was a pretty deep thought for the “Audit Your Brand” assignment, but I hope you enjoyed it. 😉 By the way, if you would like, I’d love for you to take a few minutes to browse through my blog and see what you think. I’d like to receive some feedback from you!

… taking a risk here, please, be kind yet truthful! 😉