It’s hard to believe that as I sit here and write this post, that it’s the very last day of 2011 already. I have noticed that as I get older, time really DOES pass by much more quickly with each year. I have also come to understand that we really need to take advantage of every opportunity we are blessed with each and every day! Life will not wait on our plans or our hopes.

Twenty eleven was in interesting year for me. I had to relearn some very valuable business lessons and overcome challenges that I haven’t seen in over a decade. I was reminded what it’s like to falsely believe we are in control of everything and that complacency can be an extremely deadly virus. But 2011 also brought about some very wonderful situations and insights as well. I’d like to quickly share some of what I learned in the hope it might benefit you.

Your career is NOT the most important aspect of your life (or it shouldn’t be). I’ve watched many wonderful people end their marriages and damage relationships with their children this year, all for their careers and desires. The work you do is no where near as important as the promises you made to your spouse or family. One can try and justify it however it sounds sweet to their soul, but let me shoot straight – there is no way to make crap smell good.

Your situation may not be as bad as you think it is.  I was the opposite of Charlie Sheen’s “winning” mantra for the first six months of 2011. It seemed everything that I did was a failure and I could not achieve success no matter how bad I wanted it or how hard I worked for it. This was a really dark time for me and I whined the entire time. Fortunately, I was able to get the proper motivation and see that my situation was way better than many others in the world. Let me say this … there is ALWAYS hope and you must keep faith in it. Life will get better.

Sometimes you have to realize you are not in control and just have to accept it. It stinks when your daughter’s high school graduation gets ruined because of another person’s actions or you have to start a new business mid-life in an economy that is all shot to hell. There are times in life where we need to move beyond the negative and look to see the positive. It really helps!

Anger and bitterness does not serve you well in any aspect of life. I will be honest in that this is one area where I have struggled the most. It can become very consuming to focus on the people or situations that have cut you deep. And when you do, you become a hostage to them and you are never truly free to live until you let go. Don’t let anger or bitterness rob you of the joy you can experience every day.

Do what you love and don’t follow the money. I’ve written about this before but it’s worth mentioning it again. Your life will never be satisfied if you chase money or fame. They might buy you temporary happiness, but once that wears off, your soul will still feel empty if you don’t pursue the passions of your heart.

Your health is valuable and important, so don’t neglect it or dismiss it. My grandmother used to say that our health is the most important thing in life. As a teenager I thought she was senile, but now I know that it’s absolutely true. I am thankful for every single day I remain healthy and we should do all we can to stay that way.

God is always here and He always provides. I realize some of my readers may not believe in God or be a Christian, but I can honestly say that I have seen God’s Hand on my entire life (even when I wasn’t a Christian) and that it is ONLY by His blessings and grace that I’ve been as fortunate as I am. I’ve lost sight of this so many times, yet I always see it when I really look for it.

Much more could be written and shared about 2011, but it’s time to stop looking back and to start looking forward. Since I’ve turned 40, I’ve spent way too much time in the past … and I’ve forgotten what it’s like to truly live right here and now!

As I close out this last post for the year, I want to wish you a very Happy New Year and pray that 2012 will be amazing for you in so many ways.