A few ideas I'm planning to use to help you ponder 2008 and rev up for 2009.  Because you can't know where you're going until you're clear on where you've been.

Over the holidays, my brother and his girlfriend were visiting and after dinner we were sitting discussing our favorite books.  The next day I was reading my emails "From the Masters".  And the story was about a dad who offered to help get his son a car but the son had to read the books the dad gave him and then write a book report on each one.  Then dad would deposit money in that child's account for the car.  What a great idea eh?  Whether you are a parent or not - you will have done your part by opening up a whole new world to that person.  Maybe it is just for yourself - what a great way to start the new year.  I have a list of 65 books on my "to read" list.  Maybe you can start the same kind of list - there is so much to learn from other people. 

I have 9 books sitting on my shelf waiting to be read at this moment.  They are all different - 2 books on cutting gardens and flower arranging, one biography, one on chakras and the list goes on.  The potential sitting there on my shelf is so exhilarating it's almost scary.  Do you know the power of your potential for 2009?  Have you even paused to consider all that could happen just because of your potential?  What if you dared to dream about that for 2009 - what would it look like?

I know there is a lot of pressure to come up with resolutions for 2009.  I like to encourage people to start with where they've been in 2008.  That's why I love doing my 2008 Christmas letter.  It's a great way to start thinking about the year in review and all of your successes.  If you aren't in the habit of writing a Christmas letter I urge everyone to sit down and month by month in your diary (remember I've begged you all to write) and put something down about that month.  If you have to take a look at your calendar to see what happened then do it.  It may help you decide on somethings you won't be doing this year.  Isn't that a great way to start a year, knowing what you won't be doing.  And then you can start penciling in the monthly massages / facials.  You can start that travel account for the big trip to Italy you have planned.  Yes that is our next big travel destination.

And finally here is a question I quite like and it got me thinking.  If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call to make, who would you call and what would you say?  And why are you waiting?  Stephen Levine.   I don't think I can make just one phone call - so each of the people I think of will be getting a letter for their birthday thinking of them in this perspective.  Maybe you would consider the same thing? 

Here is to you finding your best and becoming your best in 2009.  It's what the world needs - everyone to step up to the plate.