We are halfway through 2019. Do you remember what you committed to on January 1? Do you remember what you wanted to do better, more of, less of?

My one word for this year was (and is) #CLEAR. I wanted to be clear, think clear, be present, planned, and mindful. July 1 is a great time to do a personal reflection and assessment on my own progress.

How about you? Most of us get a day off next week for the celebration of our nation’s birthday. How will you spend your 4th of July? I realize lots of us have plans for picnics, parties, beach days, etc. How can you dedicate some personal quiet time in the morning to assess your first half of 2019?

This past week I spent time with my youngest daughter who has built a solid habit of a ‘gratitude journal’. Her gratitude journal has turned into a small notebook for whatever she needs it to be – she doesn’t have any rules about it, but has found it enormously valuable to record something each day. I love when I learn something from my children – and I often do!

I decided to start a gratitude journal, but after much thought and conversation, mine might need to be a bit different. I am already a pretty (overly) optimistic person. I am grateful and express it often. What I DON’T do is acknowledge negative things. I don’t allow bad things to register as anything. And, that’s as unhealthy as not acknowledging what I am grateful for. So, I bought my little journal and am going to break the seal on July 1. I’m going to start with an assessment of the first half of 2019. I will add some gratitude statements for sure. And then, to address an area of personal development, I am going to acknowledge anything I am not happy about and, of course, not stop there. I will decide what I will do with that unhappiness. Can I control it? Can I influence it? Or do I need to ‘let it go?’

I can’t wait. What are you going to do for the 4th?

Happy Birthday, America!

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