The Best Advice…For A Happy New Year!

A brand new year seems like the perfect time for the second edition of my “Best Advice” series that was so well received when I posted the first one clear back in August of last year.  Whether you’re one to make New Year resolutions or not, (you can read why I’m not here!) perhaps the sage advice shared here by some more of my lovely friends, wise mentors and gracious family members will be the perfect catalyst that helps you find your passion and embrace the opportunities you’re given so that 2019 proves to be the best year of your life!  At the very least, let’s all vow to do something we’ve always wanted to do but never took the time to do it until now!

Advice To Help Kick Off The New Year!

Anticipating the beginning of a new year is sure to ignite the age-old debate of “resolutions vs. goals”!  Aren’t they really one in the same, you ask?  Well, I define a resolution as a firm decision to do or not do something–and therein lies the dilemma for me…too often people vow to completely change a behavior on the first day of a new year like some magic motivational switch is flipped at 12:01 on January 1st.  Resolutions seem to be indicative of an “all or nothing” approach; failure seems guaranteed.  Whereas, I see goals as less ridged and more meaningful intentions, where the commitment and effort required is more realistic, resulting in the improvement of a person’s overall lifestyle with lasting, long-term effects, despite some inevitable hurdles and setbacks.

“Dream big.  Start small.  Act now.  Robin Sharma

I like the insight and advice my good friend and long-time neighbor, Alison, gives on the subject of setting goals.  She and her husband are serving a mission for our church in Sacramento, California, where they oversee approximately 180 young missionaries ranging from 18-20 years of age.

I love the New Year as a time to refocus on new goals and ways to live my best life.  I have come to appreciate the importance of goals even more since we have been serving our mission.  I’ve seen how those young people we work with who make a habit of setting goals and understanding that they truly help them progress in life, are not only the most productive, but usually the happiest, as well.  Goals that make us stretch, even a little bit, help us become better versions of ourselves.  A favorite piece of advice I offer our ever evolving group of missionaries is:

“We are striving for progression not perfection.”

(Scott and Alison Hymas with missionaries in Sacramento, California)

I love my career as a NICU nurse, and I work with some incredible neonatologists who are not only wise in the medical care they offer the precious preemies on our unit, they are very intuitive about life in general, which makes sense when you think about it, since they often see first hand how truly fragile life can be!  On one occasion, I commented to one of these physician’s, Dr. Shannon Jenkins, how his ability to really listen to the concerns of anxious parents seemed to calm their anxieties and allow the hospital personnel to do their job more effectively.  His reply renewed my desire to make sure my patients (or in this case, the parents of my patients) are a strategic part of the care plan.  Dr. Jenkins said, “Learning to listen is the first step in formulating the best care plan for each patient beyond their immediate medical needs.  As knowledgeable as we’d like to think we are as doctor’s, you don’t advance in your career if you do all the talking!”  He went on to elaborate that by listening, he learned how to better involve the families so that they felt like they had viable roles in the care of their sick little ones, despite the fact that touch and other stimuli often has to be restricted.

“One of the sincerest forms of respect…is actually listening to what another person has to say.”  Bryant McGill

As a nurse I also have the privilege of mentoring many student nurses as they work through their rotations in the various areas of the hospital.  It’s wonderful to see my profession through fresh, eager eyes on occasion–and truth be told, I’m often the one who learns as much, if not more, from these future candidates of an amazing career path.  One such opportunity came last year when I worked with Lauren, a darling 2nd year student who proved to be wise beyond her years in her innate ability to care for our little patients with ease, while still paying attention to all the meticulous little details that are so important to maintain in a NICU unit.  Lauren recently graduated and received her hard sought Registered Nurse status, so of course, I had to ask her to share her best advice for surviving a rigorous nursing program and life in general.

Here’s Lauren’s 3 key points on what helps her live a happier life:

1.  I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt.  I know I make many mistakes, most of them unintentionally, but I also know I don’t want to be defined by those mistakes.  I truly believe that if we can look for the best qualities in others, it will not only help us to be less critical, it will allow others to overcome their weaknesses and learn from their mistakes.

2.  I try to live by the quote in the book, “Girl Wash Your Face” by Rachel Hollis, (which I highly recommend) that says, “If you are unhappy, that’s on you.”  It’s such a good reminder that we should always take charge of our lives; what defines who we are and how we want to live!       

3.  We live in a world of instant gratification, where seemingly little effort is required to get ahead, but there’s just something to be said for putting in the hard work.  It sounds cliché, but the early mornings and long nights worked as you devote your life to reaching your goals really do build a special strength in character.  I always strive to have at least one aspiration, whether it be physical, mental or spiritual, that I work hard for every day, because when I accomplish it, there’s truly no better feeling…and it’s great incentive to achieve even more!  

With this great outlook, I’d say Lauren has a bright future ahead!

(Lauren Huff, 2018 Nursing Graduation at Weber State University) 

One of my favorite television news contributors is Ed Henry, Chief National Correspondent on the Fox News Station.  He seems to take pride in the delivery of news information without making it biased to his own personal views.  I recently became even more enamored with him when I read about an interview he did once where he was the one being questioned, and his wise response to being asked about how the general public could be better news consumers so they could make more informed decisions, politically and otherwise, came without hesitation.  He said,  “I’ve always felt that if people were even 10% more attentive to others and the world around them than they currently are, we’d be a much happier population.”  My interpretation of this sage advice is that if we are willing to take time to look outside ourselves more and serve one another to the best of our ability, we’d be able to better offer some of the basic kind gestures that are so necessary for all of us to really thrive in this life!

(Ed Henry via Fox News Channel)

Perhaps some of the best advice to heed for those of us who are hibernating to a certain degree during the wintry month of January, is to take advantage of this time to look around and truly ponder the beauty of this glorious world we live in…even when it’s adorned in snow drifts!

“Like the whole earth, we must rest and be quiet.”    Isaiah

And lastly, several years ago when I was going through some of my mom’s files, I came across an old newspaper clipping she had saved written by the late renown columnist, Ann Landers.  I love the witty way Ms. Lander’s had of putting common sense ideas into clever quips that always leave you nodding in agreement as you read them, while at the same time vowing to somehow implement every last tidbit of wisdom into your daily habits.  I still have the original article folded in the back of my personal journal so I can pull it out and reread it on occasion when I’m at odds with myself.  I’ve made a modified version of it for you to download and make a copy for when you’re feeling the need for a little positive reboot in your life!

Make a copy HERE.

Please share any sage advice that helped you when you needed it most in your life!    

Best wishes to you all for a blessed and happy new year!

–Mary