2016 Travel Resolutions

Okay, so I believe there are two kinds of people in this world–those who make New Year’s Resolutions and those who don’t. Which one are you? I’m a resolution maker. Truthfully, I love January 1. I tear down the old calendar and pin up a new one. The slate is wiped clean and a brand new year (of possibilities) lies ahead. It’s a good time to evaluate your life and decide what you’d like to achieve personally and professionally. So even if you’ve never been one to make resolutions I hope you’ll reconsider. I have a friend who told me his resolution for this year is to find one thing to be thankful for each and every day. This may not seem like much to most of us but my friend is a rather pessimistic person so this is a good goal for him. I am a Type A personality and seem to tackle more and more each year. So this year I am vowing to NOT do so much. I still have a lot on my list but it is manageable. After all, you should challenge yourself to be the best person and have the best life possible. Honestly, I’m not sure if I will be able to slow down but I need to pace myself rather than always running at full steam so I am going to try my best.

If you’re a resolution maker, what are your goals or resolutions? How will you achieve them? It is just as important to take time to think about the specific steps you need to take to fulfill your goals. If you have a travel destination or experience you’ve always wanted to do, why put it off? Why not think about how you can do it this year? What is holding you back? Fear? Money? Time? Think about how to overcome your obstacle(s) and as Nike says “Just do it.” For example, if it’s money that’s stopping you then set up a GoFundMe page or sacrifice your daily Starbucks coffee or weekly eating out to save for your dream trip instead. Or get a part-time job. Or clean out your attic and sell the stuff on eBay. Or get together a small group and go for FREE or at a greatly reduced rate. Use frequent flier miles to fly cheap. Pay attention to periodic offers to buy miles at cheap prices. I only had half the miles I needed for my last trip to Africa but I got the rest by buying miles and getting the same amount of miles I bought for free. So I ended up spending just $1,500 for a $6,000 ticket! If you’re afraid of flying then face your fear. If you’re busy and you think you don’t have the time to travel then get over yourself. Newsflash: We’re all busy! But life is short and our biggest regrets tend to be the things we didn’t do, not what we’ve done.

If you’ve been dreaming of changing jobs, stop dreaming and figure out how to do it. Do you need to take some additional training? Get a certification? Learn some new job skills? Go back to school and get another degree? If you want to buy a house or move to another city or state then think about what’s stopping you and change course.

If you’re always wanted to write a book then get on with it. That is the biggest thing I hear from friends, family, acquaintances, and followers that they would love to be an author or write for a magazine. When I ask them what’s stopping them they stammer excuses about being busy or not knowing how to get started or needing to take a writing course or find a writing group and on and on. Listen, I was working two jobs when I wrote my first three books. I didn’t have time but I made time. And I didn’t know any authors or have any industry connections. I didn’t have a clue but I muddled through and figured it out and got a publishing contract. Did you know that the blockbuster movie that is playing in theaters across America and around the world, Martian (starring Matt Damon), is based on a self-published sci-fi novel written by Andy Weir? Not only was his book made into a Hollywood movie but he also got invited to NASA’s International Space Station’s Mission Control! He also rubbed elbows with celebrities and renowned scientists along the way. Just think if he’d said to himself that he didn’t have the time or talent and never wrote that book! Successful people find solutions, not excuses. There is too much help out there nowadays for lame excuses. There are lots of great writing blogs, such as A Writer’s Journey, Where Writers Win, Write to Done, and Your Writer Platform. Additionally, there are lots of great books too. I just released a series that will help writers at all stages from having an idea to being ready to publish, starting with STOP TALKING & START WRITING YOUR BOOK. And the same is true for whatever you want to achieve. There are television shows, YouTube videos, blogs, podcasts, webinars, organizations, and more to help you, so just Google it and get on with it!

So let’s all agree that 2016 is going to be a great year filled with success and joy. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!