Michael Josephson: Make 2016 the best year ever

  I hope the past year will go down in your book of life as one filled with great pleasures and grand memories. But whether the year was good, bad, or indifferent, I hope you’ll enter the new year wiser and stronger for your experiences, and optimistic that the best is yet to come.

  A vital quality of a happy and successful personal and professional life is continual growth spurred by a commitment to learn through study and experience. This requires the humility to accept that however good you are you, can get better and develop the ambition to be better.

  As you look forward to the future – the place where you’ll spend the rest of your life – it’s smart to look back at the immediate past and objectively assess what went well and what didn’t in your job, your relationships, your health, and your overall sense of fulfillment. What did you learn that can make your life better?

  If you had a bad year, it’s possible you were a wholly innocent victim, or maybe your own actions or attitudes contributed to serious grief or unhappiness. Either way, please accept my best wishes and sincere condolences. Please be careful, however, not to wallow in sorrow, sympathy, shame, or self-doubt. Don’t allow yesterday’s pain to become tomorrow’s suffering.

  Be accountable, but be fair to yourself.

  Start the next stage of your life’s journey with optimism and confidence.

  Remember, you’re the captain of your own ship. Take the wheel, choose your course, and get on your way.

  There may be rough seas ahead, but there will also be enough achievement, growth, reconciliation, and true joy to make the journey worth it.

  Abe Lincoln pointed out that one of the good things about the future is it always comes one day at a time.

  May this new year be your best year – so far.

  About the author: Michael Josephson is one of the nation’s most sought-after and quoted ethicists. Founder and president of Josephson Institute and its CHARACTER COUNTS! project, he has conducted programs for more than 100,000 leaders in government, business, education, sports, law enforcement, journalism, law, and the military. Mr. Josephson is also an award-winning radio commentator.

  This article was published by the Josephson Institute.