Having just returned from my trip to our magnificent Yellowstone National Park, I am filled with new energy for the year ahead and eager to experience the discovery of what 2012 may bring. May we embrace the new year with open hearts and open minds! One of my favorite traditions is to start the new year with this quote from the German author and poet, Rainer Marie Rilke:

“Now let us welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.”

Food for Thought ~

The advent of calendars serves as a convenient way to organize our annual cycles. Thus, January provides us with an opportunity to “begin anew” with fresh hopes, aspirations, and dreams for ourselves and our work. Before the busyness of responsibilities and activities compete to overtake our awareness, I recommend taking time – right now if possible – to reflect on what you want this year to hold, both personally and professionally. Like a ship needs a rudder, we all need a personal sense of direction that will help us navigate the unknown seas in the year ahead.

Question of the day ~

What are your personal goals? What are your goals as a leader? What values do you wish to live by? What do you want this year to be?

A hearty thank you to those of you who contributed to my mini-survey in December! We are currently compiling the results and I will report on the outcomes in a future post. I truly appreciate your feedback!