So I recently read my post last year On the Eve of Thirty-One and started to chuckle a bit. Man I haven't done squat since that marvelous prediction of last year. I'm two hours into being thirty-two and realize that the only thing that really has changed is that I started to clean my room. 
Well ... that's not as positive a thing as you would hope. However, slowly after writing that masterpiece entry I started to go down a different path and direction. There are some key things that I think I should point out that have made this past year a successful year:
- A Positive Outlook on Life. Not that I really had a negative outlook before, but everyone has their ups and downs. Sometimes my downs seemed more prominent than the ups, but I've started to look at life a little different. This is mainly because I have created stronger associations with much more positive people in my work and leisure. One such positivity mental change came with a friend Larry Stevenson when we were working together on the Wasatch Business Conference. Larry works with LDS Employment Resource Services and asked a number of volunteers to help with our conference. Each volunteer had something challenging happen to them after he asked, from heart problems to family incidents. I said to Larry, "Maybe this is a sign to not do the conference if the Church's volunteers are coming down with all these problems?" His reply changed my life. "Enoch, it's not heaven telling you to stop. The conference is such a good idea that the Devil doesn't want it to succeed." I told him I like that outlook and he replied, "Don't worry about it. We've been doing it a long time. You'll learn." That moment I did ... and since then I've been trying to have a more positive spin on things.
- Take Control of the Reigns. Man there are times that I feel like I go a million miles an hour and lose control real quickly. However, this year I've been focusing (and that's a big word for me to use) on taking better control of things in my life. If something seems spiraling, which really doesn't happen too much with the "Positive Outlook" change, I look for the reasons why, take a deep breath, and try to regain composure. The nice thing about this is that I have found a number of people who are fantastic and willing to help out an oddity such as myself. And I think, surrounding yourself with powerful people allow you to "control" things in a positive way. This idea of a support system that many successful people talk about works.
- Smile as Much as Possible. I got mad at my mother one day because she said to our church that I always have a smile on my face. I didn't think of that as a positive thing at the time. Don't ask me why ... I was young. But now I think that it's one of the best things a person can do to combat the viles of the world. I try to walk into rooms with a smile on my face and be as positive in my attitude as possible. Sure I have my off days, but I'll tell you a secret .... it's tough to have an off day when you have a smile on your face. Sure periodically people my think I'm going mad ... but that's half of the quirky charm I hold. Because really ... if some people think I'm mad right now, when I really do start going insane they won't be wrong.
So I may not be in a wholly different position than I was in last year. I went on a couple dates. Got shot down a number of times. Stayed at home more than I should, but that doesn't mean that I didn't progress. I find myself a more content, confident and positive person than I was last year. Sure, I still like being at home and watching TV. I still may have some weight to lose around the mid-section. And yes I may have the need to cut my hair at some point in the future, but truthfully ... I'm ready to work on those things.
So to set goals for the future (because it's always good to set S.M.A.R.T. goals): Get out more; Meet more people; Be a Positive catalyst for the Better. And for goodness sake ... start opening your eyes to the possibilities.
Thirty-Two is going to be a great year!!