“New Years Flight” © D. Paul Graham, 2024

“Monday 5 Things”™ ….. Pénte Léxeis …..

If you have read or followed M5T for more than a year, you may recall that I rather abhor the concept of New Year resolutions. Quite possibly because I was never really good at keeping them. For the past 30 years or so, I have opted to pick words that I want to focus on for a new year, rather than un-keepable resolutions. I begin to think about those words in December. This year I found that all 5 that I chose are inter-related.  As such, I give you my pénte léxeis, my 5 words for 2024.

1. Reevaluate.

2024 will begin the year by reevaluating and resetting my priorities. I want to be more conscious of where I spend my time; what I spend my time doing, and who I spend time with. I want to develop relationships that are authentic, profoundly deeper, and trustworthy. It will be a year of continued ruthless shedding of toxic behavior, thinking, and people. A year of identifying, accepting, and embracing what makes me most happy in life. That will mean being willing to shed what makes me most unhappy in life. A year of reevaluating and being brutally honest with myself that my dreams and goals are aligned with how I’m living my life.

2. Essential.

To understand the most essential parts of my life will entail simplifying all aspects of my life. I want to do more with less and to find more ways to communicate with clarity. To clear out mental, emotional, and physical clutter. To slow down where necessary. To speed up when required. To focus on my highest priorities. To purge and to be honest with myself, as needed, no matter how painful both may be. To shun temporary or quick fixes. To love deeper, to laugh harder (especially at myself), and to cry when needed. It’s essential that I learn what to let go of and to discover what I should hold tighter. And above all, practice granting grace to others and gratefulness for all I have.

3. Explore.

This year I want explore and embolden my wanderlust. A wanderlust for journeys that are spiritual, geographical, physical, and relational. Exploring a deeper state of mindfulness. To take time out and away from daily routines and habits. To explore by moving forward each day but understanding that at times it is necessary to re-explore by circling back, taking a detour, going back, and reassessing as necessary. I want to explore and reach into the unknown of my life. To be fearless in my pursuits with open eyes. To explore what piques my curiosity. To purposefully do what others say I can’t. To explore and give myself permission to marvel, to be awestruck, captivated, fascinated, enchanted, and riveted.

4. Prayer.

A year of spending time to get closer to and align my life with God. To open up every area of my life through prayer. Praying to discover deeper strength, hope, peace, and comfort in my faith. To seek wisdom and guidance through prayer. To experience the profound realization that my prayers for others matter. And in all I do, to give thanks, praise, and honor for all He has done in my life.

5. Expect.

I am perhaps most excited where this word and mindset will take me in 2024. I envisage the conviction to seek out and expect the extraordinary in all I do. To expect positive disruption and wild success. To live more fearlessly. To push myself in all areas of my life. To take risks and action by eliminating self-imposed boundaries. To expect great things from small beginnings. To manifest and realize victory through struggles and failure. To gain wisdom. To learn something new every day. And in 2024, I expect to have my soul set on fire by living with greater passion and focus.

What words would you pick for a new year? Here’s to a week and a year of the words that are going to be most important in your life. As Stephen Covey wrote, “live your life by a compass, not by a clock.” Wishing you all wild success in 2024. I’m starting this year with gratitude for the time that you take to read M5T each week. Thank you all!

© 2024 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

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For over 12 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T.

You can reach Paul by email at dpg@imagegraham.com