As 2012 comes to an end, we are faced with religious holidays and New Year’s Eve – all times to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next.
What a great time to write down the highlights of the year – good and bad – and think about the lessons learned from those experiences.
Do you hope to live more in the moment? Plan more for the future?
Will you let go of bad memories and vow to make new, happier ones?
Instead of just saying “Cheers” at your next celebration, take out 1-3 of the life lessons you learned this year. And start off with “May we all…” and then end with “cheers.”
It will make the event more meaningful and help you make public your lessons. This will both humble you by showing you can always learn from the past, and bring you hope by saying aloud what you want for the future.
The power of speaking the truth aloud – whether good or bad – is one of the must underrated parts of the toast. I think that many people become nervous about speaking, and hesitate to do so, because they subconsciously understand this power.
But few acknowledge it. And it is a good thing. Here’s mine:
“May we all tell those we love that we love them more often, because we never know when they will leave us.
May we all take charge of the messes in our life so that they do not stop us from moving forward.
And may we all grab the opportunities put before us and not be afraid to see where they take us.
Cheers!”