Wednesday, January 13, 2021

How To Make 2021 A Better Year Than 2020! My Top Ten List For You Will Get You Started!!

 There is an old song you may remember hearing titled, "What The World Needs Now Is Love".


 

It's been sung by many artists through the decades of it's debut.  Looking back on 2020 made me think of this song just about everyday of the year.  So here is my list of the ways we all can make 2021 a better year than 2020 if we do these simple yet powerful things everyday.

1.  Be Grateful.  Keeping a gratitude journal has been proven in many medical journals to reduce stress and to take the focus off the negative things happening around us.  So make or pick up a blank journal and write at least three (3) things in it that you are grateful for each day.  You'll find some beautiful handmade ones in my Etsy shop at click here >> Markets of Sunshine

2.  Show Honor.  The word honor in the Bible means to deeply appreciate and deeply respect.  We are admonished to show honor to one another and take the lead in doing so.  That means don't wait for the other person to show you honor you do it first.  So put this to practice right in your own family or with your friends.  

3.  Be Joyful.  True joy comes from God and only He can give us joy.  So how do we receive this joy?  By reading his word the Bible daily.  Since he is the "Happy God" reading a portion of his word that talks about being happy will naturally begin to rub off on us.  So take time each day to read a portion of the book of Psalms.  

4.  Complain Less.  Now this is one that might not be so easy for most of us to conquer.  But, it's at the top of the list of things to stop doing in order to live a better 2021.  Since 2020 brought the focus on life and death shouldn't we learn how to really look at the bigger picture?  The world does not revolve around us.   We are all in this together to make the world a better place!

5.  Spend Less.  I was following the Dave Ramsey budgeting system to get out of debt and pay off my credit cards.  Then the pandemic hit and financial experts said to do just the opposite.  Stop using all your extra money to pay off credit card debt.  So personally that is what I decided to do.  And, since my small business on Etsy took a huge hit and came to a screeching halt I had no other choice but to lower the amount I can pay each month.

6.  Save More.  Since 2020 taught us to remember the past and learn from history.  It did for me anyway.  Remember, 1918 saw a pandemic.  Remember 1927 saw the depression.  So what happened last year was nothing new.  It just happened before most of us were born.  We are working on a 6 month income savings plan.

7.  Compare Less.  One of the best ways to lose your joy is by comparing yourself to other's.  Someone will always have more than we do.  That's just a fact of life.  A better job.  A bigger house.  A bigger bank account.  And better health.  If we put our focus on doing better than someone else we will never be happy with what we already have.

8.  Clear Out More.  Material possessions can take over our life if we let them.  Take a good look around you and see what rooms can house a little less stuff.  Studies have shown that owning less makes us happier.  Our minds can process our surroundings better.  We don't have to clean and dust as much either.

9.  Smile More.  This has been my rule to start my day before I even get out of bed by putting a smile on my face.  I say to myself, It's a great day to be alive and serve the living and true God!  I then say a prayer of "Thanks" for being a live to see his creation another day and just enjoy those I love in my life!

10.  Be Kind More.  A random act of kindness for your neighbor means anyone and everyone around you.  By doing a kind deed for someone each day whether you know them or not will make you feel good and will surely make them feel good.  Give it a try and see how much better you start to feel.  You might even start looking for ways you can show a kind act to someone each and every blessed day!

So no matter what 2021 has in store for us (and it's already not going well) let's all make it a Better Year Together!

Sending You Sunshine,

Marsha Jaramillo

Blogger, Entrepreneur, Wife and Mother

Bonus Tip: Learn a new skill like crafting or sewing.  Follow along with me on my YouTube channel at

Markets of Sunshine <<< click here <<<



 

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