I resolve...

It has been brought to my attention that I have failed to post a few articles on my blog as I usually do after the articles have been published. Below you will fins the article written for the first of January 2012. The slate is wiped clean. The resolutions have been made again. We are given the opportunity to resolve to do many of those things we resolved to do last year and failed. But 2011 brought challenges that prohibited our goals from being met. So, if we did not succeed in reaching our expectations, or at least our hopes, what did we learn from those experiences? The philosopher and poet George Santayana is quoted as saying, “Those that cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 2011 was ripe with learning opportunities. I know what I have learned and I hope that you too have learned from mistakes made. Sometimes, if we are wise, we can learn from the mistakes of others so that we don’t have to make them ourselves. For example, in sports, can we all say we learned never to underestimate an opponent? Watching the Southern Miss versus UAB and Marshall football games proved that point to some respect. I think that Houston may have learned that lesson more than anyone. The economy may be showing signs of recovery. If we do come out of this recession soon, will we learn from our mistakes? I’m not talking about the government. I’m talking about taking personal responsibility. For instance, when gas prices rose to around $4.00 per gallon, what changes did you make in your driving habits? Did you keep those same changes when the prices dropped to around $3.00? In my business I have found that making wiser purchasing decisions allows me to remain open when other independent small businesses are closing all around me. Those same decisions hold true for my household expenses. We have learned that, if we don’t have the money for something, we don’t whip out the plastic with the idea of paying for it later. Becoming debt free in my home and my business was not enough for us. Remaining debt free has been equally important. If your 2011 included the loss of a loved-one, I hope you have learned that long life is not promised to any of us. Take no relationship for granted. Never pass up the opportunity to tell someone how much you love and appreciate them. I’ve also learned that just watching what I eat is not enough. Exercise is mandatory. Hopefully a combination of the two this next year will help me lose the 20 pounds I need to lose. My 2011 “lose 15 pounds” diet only added 5! This year brings a class reunion to the table that I am looking forward to attending. I’m no longer the skinny, mop-headed boy of yesteryear nor am I the man I had dreamed I would become. I have, however, found a happy medium. The most important lesson I can pass on this year to the youth of today is that life doesn’t come with a spell-check. If you made mistakes, don’t dwell on them. Learn from your history. Better yet, learn from mine.